Parliament to abolish “barbarous act” of capital punishment?

New Delhi, Sep 4: Following the controversies and debates over Rajiv Gandhi assalaints' death sentence case, a civil rights body has recently urged the Parliament to take up steps to abolish the “barbarous act" of capital punishment.

The PUCL statement came against the backdrop of increasing clamour for clemency for three convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

People"s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) said the Supreme Court itself has given due consideration to the fact that court judgements may not necessarily be always correct and to deprive a person of his life would be “nothing short of a barbarous act“.

PUCL president N D Pancholi said,“In the wake of the ongoing controversy on justification of death penalty, it is high time that Parliament takes appropriate steps to abolish such provision from our statute books".

Pointing out at Indira Gandhi assasination case, he cited the judgement the judgement of a five-member Supreme Court bench in Kehar Singh v/s Union of India case and quoted the order “the administration of justice by courts is not necessarily always wise or certainly considerate of circumstances which may properly mitigate guilt."

OneIndia News