Question

In which of the following cases, the Supreme Court of India decided that the death sentence would be imposed only in rarest of the rare cases?

• A. Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Bihar
• B. Hussainara Khatoon v. State of Bihar
• C. Bachan Singh v. State of Punjab
• D. Deena v. Union of India

Hint:

The "rarest of the rare" doctrine has been a guiding principle in determining the imposition of the death penalty in India. It ensures that the death sentence is not imposed arbitrarily, but only in extreme cases.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

In the Bachan Singh v. State of Punjab (1980) case, the Supreme Court of India ruled that the death sentence should be imposed only in the "rarest of the rare" cases. The judgment laid down the principle that the death penalty would be appropriate in cases where the crime is of an exceptionally brutal, grievous, or heinous nature, such that the collective conscience of the community would demand it.
Thus, the correct answer is Bachan Singh v. State of Punjab.