New Delhi, India (February 25, 2014): As per information available with the Sikh Siyasat News the Government of India (GOI) today (Feb. 26) told the Supreme Court of India Professor Devender Pal Singh Bhullar won’t be executed because of his health. Prof. Bhullar, a Sikh political prisoner is on death row in India since 2001 in a 1993 case. His arrest dates back to 1994.
In it’s reply the centre said that a constitutional review petition filed on Prof. Bhullar’s behalf is being considered and the Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung has also recommended commutation of his sentence.
The court has fixed 10 March, 2014 as next date of hearing this matter.
As per information in today’s reply the GOI asked for two weeks to inform the Supreme Court on its decision on the (second) constitutional review petition that currently lays pending before the President of India.
It is notable that the then President of India Pratibha Patil had dismissed first constitutional review petition of Prof. Bhullar in 2011. The petition was moved in 2003 but it remained undecided till 2011, and was rejected only when Prof. Bhullar’s wife had moved to the SCI seeking commutation of death sentence on the grounds of inordinate delay in execution of death sentence.
Prof. Bhullar’s had attracted attention of various sections of Indian society as well as the case exemplifies the misuse of death penalty clauses due to political reasons, resulting in blatant injustice. Press Council of India (PCI) chairman Jusitce M. Katju had also moved a clemency petition before the President of India on Prof. Bhullar’s behalf.
As per information during today’s hearing the Supreme Court of India (SCI) criticized the Government of India for delay in deciding the review petition and said, “The Lieutenant Governor had sent his recommendations on 6 January, but no decision was taken by the Centre. In a case like this the Centre should have taken a decision without delay. This is really torture”
Two weeks ago, the Delhi government had asked for Bhullar’s death sentence to be commuted to life citing his mental illness.
Last month, the Supreme Court had commuted the death sentences of 15 convicts and found that “inordinate and inexplicable” delays in carrying out an execution are grounds for reducing the penalty.
The judges who handed out the verdict also said that mental illness such as schizophrenia and the use of solitary confinement could make a convict eligible for a reduced sentence.