By Admin 
On Thursday (January 22, 2026), the Supreme Court reserved its decision on a PIL demanding other methods of death penalty instead of capital punishment. The petition has described hanging as a painful and cruel method and has advocated adopting methods like lethal injection, shooting or using the electric chair. In the last hearing, the court had also emphasized that the government should consider new options with the changing times.
During the hearing, the Central Government told the court that it has constituted a committee to consider this issue. The Supreme Court has completed the hearing on this matter. This petition has been filed by senior advocate Rishi Malhotra. He has described hanging as a cruel, inhuman and old method of death, in which the accused has to suffer pain for a long time. He suggested that instead of hanging, poison injection (lethal injection) should be given, which causes death faster and with less pain. It has been said in the petition that at least the convict should be given the option whether he wants hanging or injection.
During the hearing, the Attorney General, presenting the Centre’s side, told the court that the government has formed a committee to consider this issue, which is studying alternative methods. The government made it clear that at present hanging is considered to be the fastest and safest method, hence it is not in favor of changing it.
The court expressed displeasure over this stand of the Center and said that change is necessary with time, but the government does not seem ready for it. The court said that the Indian Constitution is compassionate and vibrant, which should also include the right to a dignified death.
This petition was filed in the year 2017 and since then the matter has been heard several times. The court has directed the petitioner and the central government to submit written arguments within three weeks. This case is important regarding the method of death penalty, because many countries have adopted methods like injection instead of hanging. In India, hanging is currently the prescribed method under the Criminal Procedure Code (now the Indian Civil Defense Code).
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