Beant Singh assassination: Supreme Court to examine convict's mercy plea in March if Centre does not

The Supreme Court on Monday again asked the Central government to take a a decision on death-row inmate Balwant Singh Rajoana's mercy plea, adding that the Court otherwise will hear his petition on merits in March [Balwant Singh vs Union of India and ors]..Rajoana, who stands convicted for the assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, has moved the top court alleging delay in deciding his mercy petitionA Bench of Justices BR Gavai, Prashant Kumar Mishra and KV Viswanathan listed the matter for hearing on merits on March 18."We will hear on merits on March 18. If you (Central government) can decide by then, well and good," the Court said..The top court in May 2023 had refused to commute Rajoana's death penalty and instead left it to competent authority of the Central government to deal with his mercy petition.He has been in jail for over 29 years, and has now sought release from jail in view of the inordinate delay in disposing of his mercy petition.His plea for Presidential mercy has remained pending despite the government having decided in 2019 to spare his life in commemoration of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.In September last year, Rajoana moved the Supreme Court again for intervention in the matter. While dealing with this plea in November, the top court had expressed dissatisfaction with the Central government for failing to provide a response in the matter..During today's hearing of the matter, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Rajoana, said that the matter has been pending for many years and he should be set free now."This has been going on since the time of Chief Justice of India SA Bobde. He (Rajoana) is on death row for 15 years and he is in prison since 29 years... He should be released now," Rohatgi said..The Court observed that the Centre should decide the matter or the Court will hear it on merits in March. "Either you decide or we will hear the case on merits. But there is also imprisonment till death.. So it is not like every case is straight jacket," it remarked.