Centre to Set Up Panel for Less Painful Execution of Convicts in Place of Hanging

New Delhi: The Central government on Tuesday apprised the Supreme Court that it was considering setting up a committee of experts to examine the prevalent mode of execution of death row convicts by hanging in the country.

Appearing for the Centre, Attorney General R Venkataramani informed this to an SC bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala. Venkatramani officer said there were processes related to the finalization of names for the proposed panel and that he would be able to respond on the issue after some time.

The court was hearing a case filed by lawyer Rishi Malhotra in 2017 seeking to abolish the present practice of executing a death row convict by hanging and replace it with less painful methods such as “intravenous lethal injection, shooting, electrocution or gas chamber”.

The top court on March 21 had said it may consider setting up of a committee of experts to examine whether execution of death row convicts by hanging was proportionate and less painful and had sought “better data” from the Centre on issues pertaining to the mode of execution.