Death Penalty

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 Legislative Acts of death penalty

The death penalty is a process that provides punishment to an individual if she or he commits an act that is forbidden by law. It is also known as capital punishment. Capital punishment is an inherent part of the Indian judicial system. 

Article 21 of the Indian constitution is a fundamental right of every citizen. It is given “right to life” and “right to personal liberty.” This means the right to live will not be taken away from any individual except due procedure established by law. The offenses punishable by death are heinous crimes. 

 The death sentence is given under Cr.P.C. Section 354(3) and Section 368 of Criminal Procedure Code, High Court has the power to give a death sentence.

Death sentence punishable in IPC and the other Acts those offenses are:

  • 120B – Punishment of criminal conspiracy.
  • 121 – Waging, or attempt to wage war or abetment of war-waging, against the government of India.
  • 132 – Abetment of mutiny (in the armed forces), if mutiny is committed in consequence of that abetment.
  • 194 – Giving or fabricating false evidence with the intention to procure conviction of a capital offence.
  • 302,304 – Murder.
  • 305 – Abets the commission of suicide to child or insane.
  • 376A, Criminal law amendment Act, 2013 – In the rape case, if the victim died or incapacitated in persistent vegetative state caused by injuries.
  • 396 – Dacoity with murder.

Capital punishment present as a penalty in legislative acts:

  • Army Act, 1950, Air Force Act, 1950, and Navy Act 1956 under section 34 of these Acts.
  • Under Section 32- A of Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Act, 1985.
  • Under Section 4 of the Sati (Prevention Act), 1987.
  • Under Section 3(2) (I) of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Act, 1989.
  • Under Section 3(2) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002.

Earlier mentioned laws are not applicable in all cases. The death sentence is present in Section 53 of IPC. Punishment is rarely used. 

Validity of the death penalty

The Supreme Court upheld the validity of the death penalty in ‘rarest of rare cases. In the case of Jagmohan Singh v. the State of U.P., the death penalty has been discussed first time in this case. The validity of the death sentence was challenged on the grounds of articles 19 and 21 because it violates the right given under Article 19(1) and 21. The second argument was that procedure prescribed under Cr. P.C. was only limited to findings of guilt and not awarding death sentences. The last argument was Article 14, which guarantees “equality before the law.” This means everyone is equal before the law. In this case, two accused had committed murder, one was sentenced to death, and the other was sentenced to imprisonment for life. The Supreme Court held that the choice of the death sentence is made according to the procedure of law. It was observed that the Judge can choose between imprisonment of life and death sentence based on facts and nature of the case.

In Rajendra Prasad v. the State of U.P., the Supreme Court held that the death penalty is a violation of articles 14, 19, and 21. The death penalty should be abolished or not as a matter of legislature. The court should not decide whether it should be abolished or not.

Criteria for rarest of rare case

This principle has been laid down in the landmark judgment in Bachan Singh v. State of PunjabThis case has overruled the decision of Rajendra Prasad. It held that the death penalty in case of murder is not unreasonable and hence not a violation of article 14,19 and 21 of the Constitution of India, because in clauses (2) to (4) of Article 19 is mentioned: “public order” that is different from “law and order.” The death penalty will be awarded in the rarest of rare cases. The precedents of this case were used to award a death sentence.

In Machhi Singh v. the State of Punjab, in this case, the court held that the death penalty is given in rarest of rare cases. The Supreme Court has given some guidelines for conviction of the death penalty. These guidelines included Manner of Commission of the order, the motive for commission of murder, socially abhorrent nature of the crime, the magnitude of the crime and, the victim of the crime.

Clemency Powers

The prisoner can submit a mercy petition to the President of India and the Governor of State. Article 72 states the President of India has the power “to grant pardon or commute or remit the death sentence.” Article 161 states the governor of a State shall have the power to grant pardon or commute or remit and suspend. If the death sentence has been given in the session court judgment, then it should be confirmed by the High Court.  If the High Court has sentenced the death penalty then the accused can appeal to the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court has sentenced the death penalty then he can file a mercy petition to the President of India. If the President rejects the “mercy petition” then the accused can file a petition under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution for judicial review of the rejection of the mercy petition. In the case, Kehar Singh v. Union of India Indira Gandhi was shot dead by Satwant Singh and Beant Singh. She was Prime Minister. Kehar Singh had planned the murder. His son filed a mercy petition before the President of India but it was rejected. The court held that this case is the rarest of rare cases.

International Scenario

The death penalty is not only found in India but in many other countries as well. In recent years, 90℅ of the death penalty is found in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, and China. According to an Amnesty report, 2,307 death sentences were passed in 56 countries in 2019. But some of the death sentences will be commuted. According to the Amnesty report, 106 countries have not allowed the death penalty. Eight countries have permitted the death penalty only for serious crimes in exceptional circumstances. In 142 countries, it has either been abolished in law or practice.

In India, many NGOs have supported the abolition of the death penalty. The main purpose of the NGOs is to stop inhumane punishment. The abolition of the death penalty movement was also supported by the United Nations during the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHRs). Russia has capital punishment but, it has not been used since 1996. Among the European countries, Portugal and Netherlands were the first countries to abolish the death penalty. Belarus is the only European country to practice the death penalty. It is found the practice of the death penalty is more in communist countries than in democratic countries.

Conclusion

The death sentence is a process provided by law. In India, the death sentence is given in the rarest of rare cases. Statutes and legislative Acts have provided the death sentence in certain cases. There are certain circumstances where less punishment has been provided to the accused like if he is a minor, pregnant woman, and co-accused. Now many countries are against capital punishment, and they have abolished the death penalty. If God has given life, then no one can take an individual’s life from him. 

The article has been written by Prachi Yadav, a 2nd  Year student from Mody  University of Science and Technology, Laxmangarh, Rajasthan.

The article has been edited by Shubham Yadav, a 4th-year student at Banasthali Vidyapith, Jaipur.

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