Muthuramalingam and Ors. v. State - (Supreme Court) (01 Jan 1900)

Multiple life imprisonment sentences to not run consecutively

MANU/SC/0783/2016

Criminal

A constitution bench of the Supreme Court held that though multiple sentences for life imprisonment can be awarded for multiple crimes, the same cannot be directed to run consecutively. The bench specifically overruled decisions that directed life sentences to run consecutively, either with life or other sentences.

The Supreme Court was faced with the question whether consecutive life sentences can be awarded to persons found guilty of a series of murders, all of which they were found guilty for in a single trial.The appellants were sentenced to of life imprisonment for each of the murders committed, with the sentences set to run consecutively. Sentences ranged from two to eight consecutive sentences.

Though the court disagreed with the approach of lower courts, there was consolation in its reiteration that the multiple sentences would nevertheless be “super imposed”. As such, remission or commutation under once sentence would not automatically entitle a prisoner to release from the other sentences.

Relevant : Dalabir Singh v. State of Punjab MANU/SC/0099/1979 Laxman Naskar v. Union of India MANU/SC/0084/2000 Ravindra Trimbak Chouthmal v. State of Maharashtra MANU/SC/1141/1996

Tags : MURDER SENTENCE LIFE IMPRISONMENT CONSECUTIVE