SC pulls up Centre over reluctance to consider lethal injection as execution option

The Supreme Court on Wednesday criticised the Centre's hesitation to consider alternative methods of execution, remarking that “the problem is that the government is not ready to evolve”.

- MPOST BUREAU

The observation came after the Union government told the court that allowing death row convicts to choose lethal injection as an alternative to hanging may not be “very feasible”.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing a petition filed by senior advocate Rishi Malhotra seeking the removal of hanging as the sole mode of execution under Indian law. Malhotra argued that prisoners sentenced to death should at least be given the option to choose between hanging and lethal injection.

“I will demonstrate that the best way is lethal injection because 49 out of 50 states in the USA have adopted lethal injection,” Malhotra told the bench, contending that it is quicker and more humane compared to hanging, which he described as “cruel and barbaric” since “the body lies lingering on the rope for around 40 minutes.”