22 JANUARY 2014

Ø  Fifteen death-row prisoners, whose mercy petitions were rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee, received commutation of their sentences to life imprisonment with the Supreme Court on Tuesday ruling that inordinate delays ranging from seven to 11 years in the disposal of their pleas, as well as psychiatric conditions developed during incarceration, are grounds for clemency. A Bench of Chief Justice P. Sathasivam, Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Shivakirti Singh also ruled against solitary confinement for death row prisoners. It said death row convicts should be informed at least 14 days before the execution, making a last family reunion mandatory. judgment commutes the sentences of forest bandit Veerappan’s aides Bilavendran, Simon, Gnanprakasam and Madiah, convicted for killing 22 police officers, as the Court held that all kinds of clemency petitions were governed by the same criteria.Sundar Singh, sentenced for murdering five family members, and Maganlal Barela, in jail for killing his five daughters, were granted clemency in view of their psychiatric condition.

Ø  After playing a vital role in the successful trade talks at Bali last month, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma will meet U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and WTO chief Roberto Azevedo during the World Economic Forum at Davos.

Ø  Life Insurance Corporation has sold 2.001 per cent stake in Bharat Forge, flagship of the $ 2.5 billion Kalyani Group, for Rs. 150.53 crore.