Rajiv killing conspirators not to be free for now, kin dismayed

The court also said that the constitution bench will also address which is the appropriate government -- state or the centre, or both -- to exercise this power to suspend or remit sentences under relevant section of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.P.C).

The court framed six more questions to be adjudicated, which included whether life imprisonment means imprisonment for the rest of the convict's life or whether a convict undergoing life imprisonment has a right to claim remission.

Coupled with this, the constitution bench was asked to decide whether there could be a special category wherein after commutation of death penalty, such a convict is put beyond the applicability of remission of sentence and would remain behind bars in excess of a life term of 14 years.

"All the issues raised in the given case are of utmost critical concern for the whole of the country, as the decision on these issues will determine the procedure for awarding sentences in the criminal justice system," the court said.