Why No Victim-Centric Guideline For Death Penalty? SC Will Examine

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde sought response from various stakeholders on whose petition the apex court in 2014 had laid down guidelines relating to the execution of death row convicts.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine the Centre’s plea for laying down the victim and society-centric guidelines in cases of the death penalty. The Centre had on January 22 moved an application contending that the prevalent guidelines are only accused and convict-centric.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde sought response from various stakeholders on whose petition the apex court in 2014 had laid down guidelines relating to the execution of death row convicts.

The guidelines were laid down in the Shatrughan Chauhan case in 2014. The bench, also comprising Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, made it clear that the issue of conviction and death sentence connected with the Shatrughan Chauhan case would not be altered while dealing with the Centre’s plea.

The bench issued notice to the respondents who were named in the Shatrughan Chauhan matter.