The chain of events leading to the rejection of Khalistan Liberation Force militant Devinderpal Singh Bhullar's plea for commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment by the Supreme Court:
The Apex court bench of Chief Justice P Sathasivam, Justice RM Lodha, Justice HL Dattu and Justice SJ Mukhopadyaya, while commuting the death sentence to life imprisonment, referred to its January 21, 2014 verdict which said that inordinate, unexplained or unreasonable delay in deciding mercy petition was dehumanizing to death row convict and was a ground for commuting death sentence to life imprisonment.
Punjab government's plea for clemency for Khalistani terrorist Devinderpal Singh Bhullar is under the Centre's consideration, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said on Thursday.
With the Supreme Court on Friday dismissing death row convict Devinderpal Singh Bhullar's plea that he should not be sent to the gallows, the Congress and the United Progressive Alliance government are hoping the verdict will stem the raging debate over the hanging of 2001 Parliament House attack accused Afzal Guru.
Delhi blast convict Devinderpal Singh Bhullar's wife on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court, seeking a stay on the execution of his death sentence, till her review plea against its verdict is decided. She submitted in her plea that she has filed a review petition against the Supreme Court verdict of April 12, in which the court had rejected her petition to commute his death sentence to life imprisonment.
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed condemned prisoner and Khalistan Liberation Force terrorist Devinderpal Singh Bhullar's plea for commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment on ground of delay in deciding his mercy plea.
The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it has "no problem" with commutation of death sentence of Khalistani terrorist Devinderpal Singh Bhullar to life term and the petition in this regard has to be allowed in view of the court's verdict that delay in deciding mercy pleas can be a ground for such relief.
The Supreme Court asked the Centre to take a decision on Khalistani terrorist Devinderpal Singh Bhullar's fresh mercy plea by March 27 or else it will decide on the issue of commuting his death sentence to life imprisonment on the ground of his mental condition.
The Delhi government has pleaded with the Supreme Court to commute death sentence of Khalistani terrorist Devinderpal Singh Bhullar to life imprisonment on the ground of his mental illness.
Long delay in disposing off mercy pleas by President or governor of persons convicted under anti-terror laws or similar statutes cannot be a ground for commutation of death sentence, the Supreme Court held on Friday.
The hearing in the open court assumes importance in view of the January 21 judgement of three-judge bench holding that inordinate and inexplicable delay by government in deciding mercy plea of death row convicts can be a ground for commuting their sentence.
The Chandigarh police lodged the FIR on Wednesday late night in connection with the clash in which around 30 policemen, including the Rapid Action Force personnel, were injured while several police vehicles were damaged.
Sikh organisations, including hardline groups, gathered to take part in 'Sarbat Khalsa', seeking to free Sikh institutions from political influence.
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