Nothing more urgent than the plea of a convict on death row, says CJI

• Nothing more urgent than the plea of a convict on death row, says CJI

Chief Justice of India SA Bobde on Monday said a petition filed by one of the convicts in the 2012 Delhi gang rape case challenging the rejection of his mercy plea by President Ram Nath Kovind should be “top priority” since the execution is scheduled for February 1. Bobde asked Mukesh Singh’s counsel to mention the matter to the top court’s registry. “If somebody is going to be hanged then nothing can be more urgent than this,” the judge said. The rape victim’s mother has criticised the state and central governments for the inordinate delay in executing the four convicts in the case.