The Supreme Court today asked why death row convict Balwant Singh Rajoana, held guilty for the assassination of former Punjab CM Beant Singh in 1995, was not hanged till now after the Centre said it was a “serious offence”.

“The question is why didn’t you hang him till now? Who is to be blamed for that? At least we would not have stayed his execution,” a three-judge Bench led by Justice Vikram Nath told Additional Solicitor General KM Natraj, who represented the Centre. The Bench, which also included Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice NV Anjaria, made the comments after the ASG said it was a “serious offence”.

While hearing Rajoana’s plea for commutation of his death penalty to life term on the grounds of inordinate delay in the decision on his mercy plea, Nataraj said he would take instr

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