Keyword – 14 years, political animosity, AHC, IBHAS Hospital, death penalty
Although the court accepted that the crime was exceptionally rare, it underlined that prior behaviour should not always be taken into account when determining whether to execute someone.
The execution sentence of a guy who was convicted of several murders due to political animosity in Muzaffarnagar was commuted by the Supreme Court, but not before noting that the prisoner may yet be changed. This decision was made last week by the three-judge panel that included Justices BR Gavai, BV Nagarathna, and Prashant Mishra.
Although the court accepted that the crime was exceptionally rare, it underlined that prior behaviour should not always be taken into account when determining whether to execute someone.
The court declared, “In some situations, the court might judge that the case does not meet the highest standards of rarity and might be hesitant to approve the death penalty. However, given the nature of the offence, the court may also feel firmly that a life sentence with the possibility of release—which equates to a term of 14 years—would be egregiously insufficient and disproportionate.”
The court emphasised the need for more options when it came to sentencing, stating that it may replace a death sentence with life in prison or a sentence longer than fourteen years. The judge may also order that the convicted party not be freed for the remainder of their life or for the duration of the order.
This order was the result of an appeal against an Allahabad High Court ruling from February 2017 that upheld a man named Madan’s murder conviction and death sentence. The case began in Muzzafarnagar in 2003 and concerned a vicious attack on people endorsing a Gramme Pradhan candidate. Six people died as a result of the incident, and one witnesses was killed during the trial.
The court considered the prospect of reformation for the convicted party, taking into account findings from the jail authorities and the IBHAS hospital, and acknowledging the extremely uncommon nature of the offence. Rather than replacing the death penalty with a life sentence in prison, the court specifically disallowed the possibility of remission until at least 20 years have passed when commuting the death penalty.
Written by – Sohan Mishra , College name – SOA National Institute of Law , Semester – 3rd Semester an intern under legal Vidhiya
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