The Supreme Court has given the Central Government time till March 18 to take a decision on the demand to convert the death sentence of Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted of the murder of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh, into life imprisonment. The court said that this is the last chance given to the Central Government. If the Central Government is unable to take a decision in this matter, then the court will start hearing on the basis of merit.

In this case, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said on behalf of the Central Government that this is a case of murder of 16 people including a Chief Minister, the government is still considering this issue. In the last hearing also, the Supreme Court had asked the Home Ministry to take a quick decision on Rajoana's mercy petition.

Imprisoned for 27 years

Balwant Singh Rajoana has been in jail for almost 27 years and his mercy petition is pending with the central government for 12 years. During the hearing, Rajoana argued that the Chief Minister had died in a bomb blast and he was sentenced to death in this case in July 2007. The High Court upheld the sentence in 2010. He has been in jail for 27 years. His mercy petition is pending since 2012.

There is also a demand to be released on payroll

Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, on behalf of Rajoana, had said that long delay in the death sentence case is a violation of fundamental rights. He also demanded that he be released on parole till the decision on the mercy petition is taken.