The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to inform it by Thursday the status of the mercy plea filed by Balwant Singh Rajoana, convicted and sentenced to death in the assassination of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh. A bench presided by Chief Justice of India U U Lalit noted that the court had given the Centre two months' time to take a call when it heard the matter last on May 2 but no decision had been taken yet. “We gave you two months. And now, two more months have passed. You raised two technical issues. We told you please don't wait for that.The moment we pass that direction, they have to consider that mercy petition.Can't force you to take what decision. But you have to take a decision,” the bench, also comprising Justices S Ravindra Bhat and J B Pardiwala, told Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj who appeared for the Centre. “The time of two months granted in May 2 order has expired long back. However, as submitted by Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, decision not taken by concerned authorities,” the bench noted in its order. Fixing the matter for hearing on September 30, the court directed that “in the meanwhile, an affidavit.be filed by a responsible officer from the concerned department indicating progress in the matter”. It added that the affidavit be filed on Thursday. A former constable of Punjab Police, Rajoana was convicted for his role in the explosion outside the Punjab civil secretariat that killed Beant Singh on August 31, 1995. Sixteen others were also killed in the bombing. A special court that convicted him sentenced him to death in July 2007 and this was upheld by the Punjab and Haryana High Court in October 2010.
