The Supreme Court on Friday issued an administrative order saying that appeals against confirmation of death penalty by High Courts will be mandatorily listed for hearing before a three-judge Bench within six months of their admission in the top court.
The order was issued amidst the Centre’s repeated pleas stating that the Nirbhaya convicts were misusing the law to delay the execution of their death sentence.
The order said that as soon as an appeal was filed, the Supreme Court Registry would intimate the High Court whose decision has been appealed in the top court to send the original records of the case and other necessary documents within 60 days.
Once the death penalty appeal is admitted for hearing, lawyers have exactly 30 days to file additional documents, if any. In case the original records or additional documents have not been received or filed, the case along with the Registry report would be listed before the Supreme Court judge concerned in chambers instead of in open court as was the practice until now.
“The directions shall be followed scrupulously by all,” the order said.
