Supreme Court refused to Pass Order on Clemency Petition of Balwant Singh Rajoana

The Supreme Court of India on 30 March 2012 refused to pass any order on a mercy petition in the death sentence to Balwant Singh Rajoana, awarded death sentence for assassination of former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh.

A Supreme Court Bench of Justices T S Thakur and Gyan Sudha Misra observed that since the convict has not filed any petition before the court and the petitioner Abhinav Ramakrishna has no locus standi to plead on his behalf, the court can not pass any order in the clemency petition.

Petitioner Abhinav Ramakrishna, an advocate, was told by the court that since petition was filed under Article 32, it cannot be entertained as in no way, any fundamental right of the petitioner was violated.

The bench ruled that the Article 32 of Indian Constitution could only be invoked by a person whose fundamental right is violated.