In a significant development, the Supreme Court has deferred its decision on the mercy plea of Balwant Singh Rajoana, a death row inmate. This comes after an urgent request from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, leading the court to withhold the order it had passed earlier in the day.
This morning, a special bench, including Justices BR Gavai, PK Mishra, and KV Viswanathan, had initially set a two-week deadline for the President to address Singh’s plea. Singh has been on death row since his conviction for the 1995 assassination of Punjab’s then Chief Minister, Beant Singh.
However, in a dramatic turn of events, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was absent during the morning session, made an unexpected appearance at 1 PM. Before the Justices Gavai and Viswanathan could adjourn for lunch, Mehta requested an urgent hearing on the matter for the upcoming Friday, apologizing for his earlier absence. He informed the court that the mercy plea file was currently with the Home Ministry, not the President, and cited “sensitivities” involved in the case as a reason to halt the signing and uploading of the order.
Justice Gavai responded by agreeing to revisit the issue next Monday, stating, “We are not passing that order today.”
The case has attracted considerable attention due to the nature of the crime and the prolonged delay in the mercy petition process. Singh’s petition claims an “inordinate” delay in the decision-making process as grounds for his release. The Supreme Court’s decision to postpone the order highlights the complexities and sensitivities involved in such high-stakes judicial decisions.
