Archive · 8 Oct 2026
Centre Opposes Rajoana Commutation Plea as Supreme Court Sets Merits Hearing
Balwant Singh Rajoana was sentenced to death for his role in a 1995 bombing that killed Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and others.
A mercy request for him has been waiting for a decision since 2012.
Rajoana is asking India’s Supreme Court to change his punishment to life in prison because of the long wait.
The government opposes that request, citing concerns about the situation in Punjab and public safety.
The government had announced in 2019 that his sentence would be changed, but that decision was not carried out.
The Supreme Court will hear arguments about the request on October 28.
The court has not yet decided whether to change his sentence.
The Centre opposed Balwant Singh Rajoana’s request to commute his death sentence to life imprisonment.
The Supreme Court said it would consider the commutation request on its merits and scheduled a hearing for October 28.
Rajoana argues that the mercy petition pending since 2012 and the resulting delay violate his rights under Article 21.
The Centre cited the prevailing situation in Punjab and concerns about national security and law and order.
Rajoana was convicted in the 1995 bombing that killed former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh; a 2019 government decision to commute his sentence was not implemented.
- Who
- Balwant Singh Rajoana and the Union government; the Supreme Court will hear their dispute.
- What
- The Centre opposes Rajoana’s plea for judicial commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment.
- When
- The hearing is scheduled for October 28; the mercy petition has been pending since 2012.
- Where
- Supreme Court of India, New Delhi.
- Why
- Rajoana cites prolonged delay in deciding his mercy petition; the Centre cites the prevailing situation in Punjab and national-security and law-and-order concerns.
Rajoana’s position
Centre’s position
Whether the sentence should be commuted
Rajoana’s position
Rajoana seeks a life sentence, arguing that the prolonged delay in deciding his mercy petition violates his rights under Article 21.
Centre’s position
The Centre opposes commutation and says the prevailing situation in Punjab makes such a decision unsuitable, citing national-security and law-and-order concerns.
Effect of the pending mercy petition
Rajoana’s position
Rajoana argues that the petition has remained undecided since 2012 and that the extraordinary delay supports judicial commutation.
Centre’s position
The Centre has opposed the requested judicial relief; the Supreme Court will hear the dispute on its merits.
- Convict
- Balwant Singh Rajoana
- Sentence sought
- Commutation of death sentence to life imprisonment
- Next hearing
- October 28
- Mercy petition filed
- March 2012 by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee
- Underlying attack
- Suicide bombing outside the Punjab and Haryana Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh on August 31, 1995
- Victims
- Former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh and others
- Earlier government position
- The Union Home Ministry announced a decision to commute the sentence in September 2019, but it was not implemented.