Law minister urges courts to ensure accused sentenced to death do not misuse system

Law and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday exhorted all courts to ensure that the persons who have been given capital punishment should not abuse of the system to delay its implementation.

He also stressed on creating a balance between the rights of an accused and the rights of a victim of crime.

"Rights of the accused are important but what about the rights of the victim of crime. We need to balance the two. Therefore, I would urge judiciary with all the respect authority and my command for them that those who have been given capital punishment should not abuse the system to prolong their punishment because society also wants they should be punished," Prasad said at the annual convention of industry chamber Ficci.

The comments come at a time when gangrape accused in Nirbhaya case have approached various forums to get relief from capital punishment.

Prasad said that as many as 1,023 fasttrack courts are going to be set up in the country only for the trial of POSCO and rape cases.

He said 400 such courts have already been agreed upon between the Centre and the state and 160 out of it have been made operational.

"Rest of the courts will be operational very soon," Prasad said.