Delhi government deserves all compliments in taking supersonic decision to recommend rejection of mercy petitions filed by accused of infamous Nirbhaya gang-rape convicts. Now it is time that Lt Governor of Delhi clears file for rejection immediately forwarding to Union Home Ministry for further forwarding to President of India. All such formality of file-movement can be done even on a single day thus President of India creating a record for decision-taking on mercy petition held earlier by the then President Dr Shanker Dayal Sharma who decided to reject a mercy-petition in record six days of filing it.
Supreme Court should also rise to the occasion by dismissing all petitions filed before it by Nirbhaya gang-rape convicts filed subsequent to an unmindful letter by some official having sent a reminder about nearing last date of filing mercy-petition to the convicts. If there is some rule about sending some reminder, it should be repealed. In case, the officer concerned sent any such reminder at his own, he should be terminated from service for showing undesired courtesy to such criminals.
Ensuring hanging on 16.12.2019 on anniversary of the heinous crime will provide a sigh of relief not only to parents of Nirbhaya but to entire countrymen giving some hope of fast justice in case of recent repeat-incident by rape-cum-murder of dr Priyanka Reddy.
SUBHASH CHANDRA AGRAWAL