Three-judge SC Bench to hear all death penalty pleas

All death sentence-related appeals — filed and pending — in the Supreme Court will be heard by a three-judge Bench from August 16,2014

 At present such appeals are heard by a two-judge Bench unless a reference is made for hearing by a three-judge Bench.

Heading a five-judge Constitution Bench, Chief Justice R.M. Lodha said this during the hearing of a batch of petitions seeking direction that all death sentence appeals and the subsequent review petitions be heard only by a five-judge Bench.

The CJI told senior counsel K.K. Venugopal that the relevant Supreme Court Rules had been amended on the basis of the recommendation made by a committee comprising the former CJIs, Altamas Kabir and P. Sathasivam and himself. Justice Lodha said the President had given his assent for the amended Rules, which would come into force from August 16 though the notification was yet to be given