SC gives strict directions to the Center, asks the Center to take a decision on Balwant Singh Rajoana’s mercy plea by March 18

20 jan 2025

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the central government to take a decision on the mercy petition of Balwant Singh Rajoana by March 18. Balwant Singh Rajoana was convicted in the 1995 murder case of then Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh. A bench headed by Justice BR Gavai told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the central government, that we are giving you a last chance. Either you decide or we will hear it on merits.

What the court said:

Apart from Justice Gavai, the bench also includes Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice KV Vishwanathan. The bench is hearing a petition seeking commutation of Rajoana’s death sentence to life imprisonment. The petition argues that there has been a long delay in deciding Rajoana’s mercy plea. Rajoana’s lawyer said that he has spent 29 years in jail. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that this matter is very sensitive. Tushar Mehta has sought six weeks’ time from the bench. On this, the bench said, ‘We will hear the matter on merits on March 18. If you take a decision by then, it is good, otherwise we will hear it on merits.’

The Supreme Court on September 25 last year had sought responses from the Central Government, Punjab Government and Chandigarh Administration on a petition filed by Rajoana, who was convicted of the murder of the then Chief Minister in 1995. On August 31, 1995, the then Chief Minister of Punjab Beant Singh and 16 others were killed in a bomb blast. The blast took place at the gate of the Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh. One of Rajoana’s aides, Dilawar Singh, mistakenly believed himself to be a human bomb and blew himself up. In this case, a special court had sentenced Rajoana to death in 2007.