2016 · Q90
In which one of the following judgments of the Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court of India, the ‘rarest of rare’ principle in the award of death penalty was first laid down?
General KnowledgeIndian Polity and Governance
- ABachan Singh v. State of Punjab (1980)
- BGopalanachari v. State of Kerala (1980)
- CDr. Upendra Baxi v. State of UP (1983)
- DTukaram v. State of Maharashtra (1979)
Explanation
The 'rarest of rare' doctrine, restricting the death penalty to the rarest of rare cases, was first laid down by a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court in Bachan Singh v. State of Punjab (1980), which upheld the constitutionality of capital punishment while narrowing its application. None of the other listed cases enunciated this principle. The judgment is Bachan Singh, option (A).