The Hindu : National : “Mercy petitions to be taken up”

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Tuesday, May 26, 2009
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“Mercy petitions to be taken up”

Special Correspondent

Afzal’s plea is at no.22 out of 28

NEW DELHI: The Centre will consider the mercy petitions of all 28 death row prisoners, including that of Parliament House attack convict Afzal Guru, in the order in which they appear and ensure that decisions on all petitions were taken.

Talking to reporters here on Monday, Home Minister P. Chidambaram indicated that Afzal’s petition, which appeared at serial number 22, would be taken up after similar pleas by others, who were listed in sequence before him were considered by the Home Ministry.

Answering a query if the Centre had put down any policy for expediting consideration of the mercy petitions of prisoners sentenced to death, he said: “There are 28 cases on death row. I have asked the Home Secretary to take up those cases in order in which they appear on that list and to ensure that a decision is taken whether the mercy petition should be accepted or rejected. We will advise the President accordingly.”

To a question when would the mercy petition of Afzal be taken up, Mr. Chidambaram said the petition was on serial number 22. “This has been said many times and I want you to remember these two numbers — 22 out of 28.”

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