Can death be commuted on grounds of delay? Ruling today

The Supreme Court will deliver on Friday a verdict whether the death sentence of a condemned prisoner can be commuted to life imprisonment on the grounds of delay in executing capital punishment. The verdict might have a bearing on a number of petitions filed by other condemned prisoners including death-row convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi murder case seeking commutation to life imprisonment. The Bench had on April 19 last year reserved order on the issue, on a plea by Khalistan Liberation Force terrorist Devinderpal Singh Bhullar’s family that his capital punishment be commuted as there was “inordinate” delay in deciding his mercy plea and as he was not mentally sound. The Supreme Court had on March 26, 2002 dismissed Bhullar’s appeal against the death sentence awarded by trial court and endorsed by the Delhi High Court.