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It said it would give certain guidelines on this matter later in a written verdict.

Earlier, in the day’s proceedings, the CJ said the SC had disposed of 102 cases involving death penalty till this November 3 (from a certain date) and that half of the convicts’ capital punishment was commuted to life imprisonment.

“Cases related to death sentences filed even in 2009 had remained pending. But lawyers of many of them [convicts] had not mentioned it… I have sorted those cases out for holding hearings and disposing of them on a priority basis so that people don’t have to suffer,” he said.

The two appeals filed (by lawyers of Mokim and Jharu) in 2013 had remained pending, but their lawyers did not place the matter before the court. “But why has this happened?” the chief justice questioned.

The Appellate Division yesterday also criticised Helal Uddin Mollah, lawyer for a death-row convict named Shukur Ali. Helal on November 7 told the court that the Kashimpur jail authorities were trying to execute his client even though the full text of the court’s verdict in the case has not been released yet.

Without the full text, the lawyer could not seek a review, he told the court that day.

The top court told Helal that he had placed the matter before it in such a manner that it caused sensation and the judges felt embarrassed.

Helal offered an unconditional apology to the court for his manner.