Apex Court agrees to examine Centre's plea for victim-centric guidelines in death penalty cases

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to examine the Centre's plea for laying down victim and society-centric guidelines in heinous offence cases where death penalty has been awarded.

The Centre had on January 22 moved an application contending that the prevalent guidelines framed by the apex court are only accused and convict-centric.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde sought responses from various stakeholders on whose petition the Supreme Court in 2014 had laid down guidelines relating to the execution of death row convicts.

The guidelines were laid down in Shatrughan Chauhan versus Union of India case in 2014.

The bench, also comprising Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, made it clear that the issue of conviction and sentence connected with the Shatrughan Chauhan case would not be altered while dealing with the Centre's plea.

The bench issued notice to the respondents who were named as respondent party in the Shatrughan Chauhan matter.

"Issue notice.Considering the prayer for victim centric and society centric guidelines. This court will not consider any prayer to alter the conviction and sentence in the case," it said.

At the outset, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre said the Union of India has filed an application seeking laying of guidelines which are victim and society-centric in death penalty cases.

He said the top court had in 2014 case of Shatrughan Chauhan versus Union of India laid down guidelines that were accused-centric in death penalty cases.