In Brief
A death row convict challenged the President's rejection of his mercy petition under Article 32 of the Constitution, alleging miscarriage of justice, torture in prison, influence from media interviews, and impact on his wife's pending divorce. The Supreme Court held that judicial review of mercy petitions is limited to five grounds: non-application of mind, mala fides, extraneous considerations, exclusion of relevant material, and arbitrariness. The petitioner's allegations—torture, press coverage, and subsequent family matters—were held not cognizable. The Court found no breach of the permissible grounds and dismissed the petition, affirming that the President, as the highest constitutional authority, cannot be presumed influenced by external matters.
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