Reviewed case brief
Shatrughan Chauhan v. Union of India
(2014) 3 SCC 1
The decision establishing that inordinate delay in disposing mercy petitions is itself a ground for commuting death sentence, directly inspiring BNSS S.472's mandatory timelines.
- Court
- Supreme Court of India
- Year
- 2014
- Subjects
- Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita
- Reviewed
- 2026-06-29
Rule established
Inordinate delay in disposal of mercy petition violates Art. 21 and constitutes ground for commutation of death sentence to life imprisonment.
Facts
Issues
Held
Ratio decidendi
How to use it in an exam
Editorial source
SCC
Educational summary only. Read the reported judgment or an authorised law report before relying on the case professionally.