A bench headed by Justib B. R. Gavai has sought a response from the Center and the Punjab government regarding the petition.
The Supreme Court has agreed to reconsider the plea of Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted in the murder case of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, to reduce the death sentence to life imprisonment.
A bench headed by Justib B. R. Gavai has sought a response from the Center and the Punjab government regarding the petition. About 16 months ago, the Supreme Court had rejected such a petition. The latest petition has been filed on the basis that the Central Government has not yet been able to take a decision on the mercy plea filed on March 25, 2012 regarding Rajoana.
Rajoana has been in jail for the past 28 years. He was sentenced to death in 2007 and was to be hanged in 2012 but S. G. P. C. And due to the efforts of Shiromani Akali, the execution was postponed indefinitely and since then the mercy appeal has been pending, i.e. neither his death sentence has been commuted to life imprisonment nor any decision has been taken regarding execution.