Afzal's mercy petitions being processed according to procedure: Govt

New Delhi, Aug 29 (UNI) The mercy petitions filed by the condemned Parliament attack convict Mohd Afzal and others on his behalf are being processed in accordance with the prescribed procedure, for submission to the President the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Minister of State for Home V Radhika Selvi said in a written reply that the power under Article 72 of the Constitution does not contain any limitation of the time, in which the power conferred to the President might be exercised.

Mohd Afzal was handed down death sentence by the Supreme Court in the Parliament attack case. Afzal and his family members later filed mercy petitions to the then President A P J Abdul Kalam. The petition was sent by the Home Ministry to the Delhi Government for its report and the ministry is now processing its response to the petitions, the Minister said.

UNI