New Delhi:
A day after President Pratibha Patil gave her consent for the execution of two murder convicts on death row, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has upped the ante, questioning why the government is dragging its feet over rejecting Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru's mercy petition.
The BJP has accused the UPA government of playing 'vote bank politics'.
For the first time in seven years, President Pratibha Patil on Thursday rejected the mercy petitions of Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar of Punjab and Mahendra Nath Das of Assam following recommendations from the Union Home Ministry.
Home Minister P Chidambaram adopted a policy of going serial wise on deciding mercy petitions after taking charge of the Home Ministry in 2008.
At least 15 cases have been referred and decision obtained in 11. The case of three persons sentenced to death in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and two other terrorist cases were higher in the order than the Afzal Guru case.
Guru's wife Tabasum Afzal had petitioned the President on October 3, 2006, for commutation of his death sentence. The Delhi government's comments were furnished by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi in June 2010 and they are under examination of the Home Ministry for submission to the President.
Under Article 72 of the Constitution, the President is empowered to grant pardon and commute the death sentence of a convict. She can also suspend and remit the death sentence of a condemned prisoner, albeit with the advice of the Union government. (With PTI Inputs)
The BJP has accused the UPA government of playing 'vote bank politics'.
For the first time in seven years, President Pratibha Patil on Thursday rejected the mercy petitions of Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar of Punjab and Mahendra Nath Das of Assam following recommendations from the Union Home Ministry.
Home Minister P Chidambaram adopted a policy of going serial wise on deciding mercy petitions after taking charge of the Home Ministry in 2008.
At least 15 cases have been referred and decision obtained in 11. The case of three persons sentenced to death in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and two other terrorist cases were higher in the order than the Afzal Guru case.
Guru's wife Tabasum Afzal had petitioned the President on October 3, 2006, for commutation of his death sentence. The Delhi government's comments were furnished by the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi in June 2010 and they are under examination of the Home Ministry for submission to the President.
Under Article 72 of the Constitution, the President is empowered to grant pardon and commute the death sentence of a convict. She can also suspend and remit the death sentence of a condemned prisoner, albeit with the advice of the Union government. (With PTI Inputs)
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