Supreme Court upholds hanging as execution method

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking to replace execution by hanging with less painful methods such as lethal injection. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta ruled that hanging remains the legally prescribed method of execution, according to Hindustan Times.

The court stated its verdict is not the final word on the matter. It said the Centre can set up a committee of experts to review alternative methods of execution, including intravenous lethal injection, shooting, electrocution, or gas chamber, NDTV reports. The bench made clear it cannot direct the legislature to adopt a particular mode.

The petition, filed in 2017 by senior advocate Rishi Malhotra, had argued for giving condemned prisoners the option to choose between hanging and lethal injection. In 2018, the Home Ministry opposed the plea, saying hanging is quick and simple. The court has left any further review to an expert body if the government chooses to constitute one.