Consider Less Painful Methods Than Hanging For Death Row Convicts: Centre Tells Supreme Court

The central government told the Supreme Court that it was considering constituting a committee of experts to examine the hanging of death row convicts and deliberations were on.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 2 May 2023 8:28 am

Supreme Court of India

The Centre apprised?the Supreme Court on Tuesday that it was considering a less painful and more dignified form of punishment for the death row convicts whose prevalent more of execution is hanging as of now.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala took note of the submissions made by Attorney General R Venkataramani, appearing for the Centre, that the government was considering his suggestion on constituting a committee of experts and deliberations were on.

In 2017, lawyer Rishi Malhotra had filed a PIL seeking to abolish the present practice of executing a death row convict by hanging, and replace it with less painful methods such as "intravenous lethal injection, shooting, electrocution or gas chamber".

According to a PTI report, Venkataramani said there were processes related to the finalisation of names for the proposed panel and that he will be able to respond to the issue after some time.

The bench responded saying, “The Learned Attorney General states that the process of appointing a committee was under consideration. In view of the above, we will give a fixed date after the (summer) vacation.”

The top court on March 21 had said it may consider setting up a committee of experts to examine whether the execution of death row convicts by hanging was proportionate and less painful and had sought "better data" from the Centre on issues pertaining to the mode of execution.

(With PTI inputs)