NATIONAL SEMINAR ON DEATH PENALTY AT SCHOOL OF LAW GALGOTIAS UNIVERSITY

The Centre for Criminal Justice Studies, School Of Law, Galgotias University today  organised a National Seminar on “Sentencing Policy  in Death Penalty Cases: Recent Judicial Trends”. Eminent lawyers, Judges and academicians participated in the event, which was organised at Campus I Galgotias University. Mr. Dhruv Galgotia, CEO, Galgotias University, Prof. B V Babu, Vice Chancellor Galgotias University, Dr. Rhishikesh Dave, Dean and other faculty members were also present on the occasion. Professor K.K Geetha and Prof. Utkarsh Yadav have been the forth end for organising this Seminar.

 Mr. Siddharth Luthra former A S G and Senior Advocate Supreme Court of India being the first speaker started the discussion raising some of the contentious issues regarding sentencing policy, viz.  lack of coherence in the sentencing policy, mercy jurisdiction and other theories related to punishment. Emphasising upon Mohammad Arif’s case, Shatrugan Chauhan’s case, Mr Luthra enlightened the gathering of the directions followed by the courts for sentencing in death penalty cases. He further mentioned the problem of uneasy access to justice for the poorer section of the society.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vikramjeet Banerjee, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court brought us back to the relation of dharma and danda from ancient period till today. He threw questions to the audience, as to what should constitute a crime and the best treatment to be offered. Prof. S.C Raina, emphasised on the effects of death penalty and the societal response to it. Mr. Manish Singhvi, Former AAG Rajasthan and Advocate, Supreme Court, opined as to how punishment is inherited from danda and found its place in the Indian Penal Code. He also talked about Crime and Criminal test to impose death penalty. Mr. Justice R. Basant (Retd.) Judge High Court of Kerala and Senior Advocate Supreme Court started his address with modern theory of state and crime and other contemporary theories of punishment viz. restoration, reformation, retribution. While quoting from Bachhan Singh’s case, he stressed that unless the alternative option is unquestionably foreclosed death penalty should not be awarded.

The seminar was followed by an interactive session by the dignitaries and students of School of Law Galgotias University. The event was a grand success.