Hanging stays as mode of execution, SC leaves door open for future scientific review
· India · Hindustan Times, Times of India
The Supreme Court on August 18, 2026 upheld the 1983 judgment that validates hanging as the lawful method of execution, rejecting a petition by senior advocate Rishi Malhotra that argued the practice violates Article 21. Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta confirmed that no new case had emerged to warrant revising the earlier decision, while stating that future scientific or technological advances could prompt a review. The court noted that the Union government could still consider alternatives, as a committee had already been tasked with examining other methods. The ruling affirmed the constitutional legitimacy of hanging but expressly left the possibility for the government to later replace it with a more humane approach.
Why it matters
The decision confirms that condemned prisoners will continue to face hanging under current law, but also gives the government a mandate to seek less painful alternatives if scientific evidence supports a change.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
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