Is SC planning to change death execution mode; Hanging to shooting

     Written by : SMTV24x7 | Tue, Jan 09, 2018, 08:12 PM

Is SC planning to change death execution mode; Hanging to shooting

New Delhi, Jan 09: On Tuesday, Supreme court asked the centre to submit a report on various types of death execution being practicised in different countries.

However, a bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra made it clear that the apex court would not decide as to what should be the mode of executing a condemned prisoner in India. The centre has asked time for submitting its report.

On October 6 last year, the court had sought the Centre's reply on the plea, filed in personal capacity by lawyer Rishi Malhotra, which referred to Article 21 (Right to Life) of the Constitution and said it also included the right of condemned prisoner to have a dignified mode of execution so that death becomes less painful.

It said "dying with dignity is part of right to life" and the present practice of executing a death row convict by hanging involves "prolonged pain and suffering".

The present procedure can be replaced with intravenous lethal injection, shooting, electrocution or gas chamber in which death is just a matter of minutes, it said.

The petition said hanging, the entire execution process takes over 40 minutes to declare prisoner dead, the shooting process takes a few minutes. In case of intravenous lethal injection, it is all over in 5 minutes.