Mulling expert panel to review execution by hanging: Centre to SC

New Delhi, May 2

The Centre is mulling setting up a panel of experts to find out an alternative mode to execution of the death penalty by hanging, the Supreme Court was informed on Tuesday.

Attorney General R Venkataramani told a Bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud that the Centre was considering the suggestion on constituting a panel of experts and deliberations were on.

PIL for abolition of painful practice

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In his PIL filed in 2017, advocate Rishi Malhotra has sought the abolition of executing death penalty by hanging. He wanted it to be replaced with less painful methods such as “intravenous lethal injection, shooting, electrocution or gas chamber, etc.

The Bench posted the matter for further hearing after the summer vacation after the Attorney General said he would be able to inform it about the further course of action after some time as there were certain formalities related to the finalisation of names for the proposed panel.

The Supreme Court had on March 21 favoured setting up an expert panel to examine whether the execution of death penalty by hanging was proportionate and less painful.

While hearing a PIL filed by advocate Rishi Malhotra seeking removal of the present mode of punishment by hanging from the statute, the CJI-led Bench had sought “better data” from the Centre on various modes of execution. Thirtysix states in the US have already abandoned the practice of executing convicts by hanging, Malhotra contended. The Bench, however, had made clear that it could not direct the legislature to adopt a particular mode of sentencing deathrow convicts.