Ring Road Shubha case: What Article 161 is which empowers Guv to take final call on mercy petitions

The Supreme Court has upheld the life imprisonment of four convicts—Arun Verma, Venkatesh, Dinesh, and Ring Road Shubha—in the sensational engineer Girish murder case. A bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and Aravind Kumar reaffirmed the High Court’s verdict while granting the convicts an opportunity to seek mercy under Article 161 of the Indian Constitution within eight weeks.

Also Read: Supreme Court upholds life term in 2003 Bengaluru Ring Road murder, grants 8 weeks for mercy plea

The Court observed that the crime occurred two decades ago, when the accused were young, and noted their good conduct during imprisonment. It stressed that while the crime was grave, the convicts were not habitual offenders and had shown signs of reform. Therefore, the Supreme Court held that the Governor must now consider their plea for pardon.

As per the ruling, the convicts cannot be re-arrested during this period, and the Governor will make a decision based on the advice of the state government.

Article 161 of the Constitution empowers the Governor of a state to grant pardons, reprieves, respites, or remissions of punishment. This authority extends to suspending, remitting, or commuting sentences in cases involving laws under the state’s executive domain. It offers a constitutional route for convicts seeking a second chance at life.