Delay or inaction on the part of any official or constitutional authority is to be discouraged and not fit to be condoned or tolerated. But an undue delay in decision-making on an important issue like mercy petition on commutation from death penalty to life imprisonment by the first citizen of this country is a sad reflection on the working of Rashtrapati Bhavan. The mercy petition of three Rajiv Gandhi killers Messrs. Murugan, Perarivalan and Santhan facing execution has been rejected by the President Ms Pratibha Patil after a period of 11 years. Thank God she had at least taken a decision in some 26 cases in all out of which only four have ended in rejection while the rest 22 cases have been decided favourably. Luckily in those cases none of the convicts were from the terrorist groups. Afzal's case is still pending for decision.
The presidents who preceded Ms Pratibha Patil had kept the cases pending without decision due to lack of time or the fear of unpopularity which in any case could hardly be termed as wise decision on their part. If a lower functionary in the government fails to take a decision we tend to haul him up as dereliction of duty and the government is contemplating a measure to punish such officials. It is unfortunate the country's first citizen too is found wanting in his performance. Had the decision been taken in time the possibility of an uproar for the review of mercy petition's rejection by the president or the passage of an unanimous resolution by the Tamil Nadu Assembly for that purpose wouldn't have arisen at all. The general issue of abolishing the death sentence too has assumed much significance for the debate and a legislation. It has no doubt its own merits and demerits.
It was reported in the media that when the requirement was to the extent of 696 million tons annually, the production of coal from the coal mines of India was to the extent of 554 million tons only. The balance was being met from the imports. Due to the difficulties faced in getting clearance from the Ministry of Environment, the coal production could not be enhanced, and due to the busy schedule (due to foreign jaunts) of the Prime Minister, the High Level Meeting could be possible only in the 1st or 2nd week of November, 2011 as reported by the Planning Commission Member (In-charge of Energy) P.K. Chaturvedi on October 19, 2011 in New Delhi. An early decision in public interest at the highest level would have solved a pressing problem of the day.
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