The Supreme Court on Monday granted the Centre additional time to decide on the mercy petition of Khalistani terrorist Balwant Singh Rajoana, who was convicted in the 1995 assassination of then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.
The top court was hearing Rajoana’s plea, which seeks to commute his death sentence to a life term, citing “inordinate delay” in deciding his mercy petition. The petition also calls for his release after nearly 29 years in custody, including 17 years as a death row convict.
The bench, comprising Justices BR Gavai, Prashant Kumar Mishra, and KV Viswanathan, warned the Union government that this was the “last opportunity” and that it would hear the case on its merits if no decision was made by the next hearing on March 18.
“By then, if you can take a decision, well and good. Either way, you decide it so that it could facilitate us. Otherwise, we will hear it on merits,” the bench said.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Rajoana, criticised the government’s failure to act on the mercy petition.
“Nothing has happened; they have still not taken any decision,” Rohatgi said, pointing out that his client had spent nearly three decades in jail.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the central government, urged the court to allow more time, citing the gravity of the case.
“It’s under consideration. The court knows it’s sensitive. There are many factors. Please grant 4-6 weeks. It’s the murder of a sitting chief minister in a terror attack; it’s a very serious case,” Mehta said.
Rajoana was sentenced to death in July 2007 for his role in the August 31, 1995, bombing at the entrance of the civil secretariat in Chandigarh, which killed Beant Singh and 16 others.
The convicted terrorist’s plea argues that the delay in processing his mercy petition violates his fundamental rights. The Supreme Court had previously, on May 3, 2023, declined to commute his death sentence but allowed the competent authority to handle the mercy plea.