Nirbhaya Case: Convict Vinay Sharma Moves Election Commission Against Rejection Of Mercy Plea, Here's Why

Vinay Sharma, death-row convict in the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape-and-murder case, has now approached the Election Commission of India in an attempt to delay his execution. He has filed a petition before the EC to challenge the rejection of his mercy petition. His plea said the mercy plea was rejected when Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was in progress which made Delhi Home Minister Manish Sisodia ineligible to reject the petition.

"We have filed a complaint in the Election Commission of India because the mercy petition of Vinay Sharma reached the Delhi government on January 30. At that time the government recommended the rejection. He was not an MLA or home minister of Delhi government because Model Code of Conduct was imposed," said Vinay Sharma's lawyer AP Singh.

According to India Today, Singh argued that digital signature of Manish Sisodia was needed and a screenshot received through WhatsApp was used to reject the mercy petition. In the petition, the lawyer asked the Election Commission to take cognizance of the matter.

A Delhi court on Thursday sought response from Tihar jail authorities on a plea by one of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, seeking better treatment for his claimed mental illness, schizophrenia and head and arm injuries. Vinay injured himself by banging his head against a wall of his cell in Tihar Jail, according to prison officials. The incident happened in jail number 3 on Sunday afternoon, they said, adding that he got some minor injuries and was treated inside the prison premises.

The court had on February 17 issued fresh death warrants for March 3 at 6 am against the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case. It had issued fresh warrants against death row convicts -- Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay (26) and Akshay Kumar (31). This is the third time that death warrants have been issued against them.