A number of Indian legal experts and social rights...

A number of Indian legal experts and social rights activists called for the abolition of the death penalty in the country, saying it had no deterring effect as perceived in some quarters. At the 'National Conference against Death Penalty' in New Delhi, former Supreme Court of India judge V R Krishna Iyer, former Delhi High Court Chief Justice Rajinder Sachar, senior Supreme Court advocate Indira Jaisingh and former chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Mohini Giri, asserted that in a "civilised society" capital punishment could not be given for any crime. The conference was attended by 110 delegates from 15 states who passed a resolution seeking a total moratorium for 10 years to be followed by abolition in all 25 states. The resolution also called for an immediate exemption from the death penalty for women, children, the disabled and persons over 60 years of age.