Report No. 262

E. The Present Report

1.5.1 In order to undertake a comprehensive study on the issue of the abolition of the death penalty, the Commission formed a Sub-Committee headed by the Chairman and comprising two Part Time member.- Mr. Venkataramani and Professor (Dr.) Yogesh Tyagi, and also included Justice K. Chandru (retd.), Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Mr. Dilip D'Souza, Dr. Mrinal Satish, Dr. Aparna Chandra, Ms. Sumathi Chandrashekaran, Ms. Vrinda Bhandari and Ms. Ragini Ahuja. Ms. Sanya Kumar and Ms. Sanya Sud, both law students from National Law University, Delhi provided extensive research support to the team.

The assistance provided by Mr. Pranay Nath Lekhi, Ms. Jyotsna Swamy, Mr. Arvind Chari, Mr. Hasrat Mehta and Ms. Diksha Agarwal, interns of Law Commission of India, and Ms. Kritika Padode was also commendable.

1.5.2 The different members of the Sub-Committee prepared concept papers on various facets of the death penalty. In preparing the drafts, and in light of the call for data-driven research and deliberations by the Supreme Court of India in Khade and Bariyar, the members relied on various research projects and empirical studies relating to the death penalty. These drafts were further discussed and revised in the course of the deliberations of the Sub-Committee.

The drafts were also shared with the Full-Time Members of the Commission, viz., Justice S. N. Kapoor, Justice Usha Mehra and Prof. (Dr.) Mool Chand Sharma, as well as Part Time Members, Dr. B. N. Mani and Prof. (Dr.) Gurjeet Singh. Based on the suggestions of the Sub-Committee, further revisions were made and its final report was placed before the entire Commission. Mr. Venkataramani and Professor (Dr.) Yogesh Tyagi made several valuable suggestions that were taken into consideration. Concerns expressed by Dr. Sanjay Singh, Secretary, Legislative Department and ex-officio Member of the Commission, were also considered.

1.5.3 Thereafter, upon extensive deliberations, discussions and in-depth study, the Commission has given shape to the present Report.