[Deathpenalty]death penalty news --- worldwide

[Joerg Sommer]

death penalty news

December 21, 2004


INDIA:

Lethal injection suggested for death row prisoners:

For prisoners on death row, the government is considering lethal injection 
as an alternative to hanging.

The Law Commission - in a recent report on the "mode of execution of death 
sentence" - has recommended lethal injection as an alternative to hanging, 
the Rajya Sabha was informed Monday.

Replying to a question on the method of execution, Minister of state for 
Law and Justice K. Venkatpathy said the commission had also suggested that 
a court should hear an accused on his preference on the mode of execution 
before passing the sentence.

According to the minister, the panel also suggested that a statutory right 
of appeal to the Supreme Court should be provided against the judgement of 
high courts to confirm the award of death penalty.

"This appeal should be heard by a bench consisting of at least five judges 
of the Supreme Court," he said.

The commission's report is currently under the consideration of the home 
and defence ministries and department of justice.

(source: Indo-Asian News Service / newkerala.com)