Tamil Nadu Assembly Passed the Resolution Seeking Mercy for the Rajiv Gandhi Assassins

Tamil Nadu assembly adopted a unanimous resolution on 30 August 2011, urging the President to reconsider the mercy petitions of Santhan, Perarivalan and Murugan in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.The resolution moved by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa appealed to the President to commute the death sentences of Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan into life sentences.


The Madras High court ordered an interim stay on the death sentence after hearing petitions from the three convicts, who are scheduled to be executed on 9 September 2011.  President Pratibha Patil rejected the mercy petitions of the three convicts on 11 August 2011, after the petitions were filed more than 11 years ago.

Indian former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a suicide bombing at an election rally near Chennai, capital city of Tamil Nadu, on May 21, 1991. 

It should be noted that the President of India could reconsider the decision of rejecting the mercy petitions as the state Governor could not take a decision on a mercy plea rejected by the President.