One term that clearly defines Death Penalty would be State sponsored murder'. And as each murderer exits this world after paying for his sin; he leaves behind another murderer the person who had to execute him by the authority invested in him by the law of the land.

It was in the 18th century, that the writings of Montesquieu and Voltaire ignited the modern movement on abolition of capital punishment. What could convince us that the criminal has been justly punished by confiscating his right to live? Instead the law relieves him of the burden of dreadful guilt, and gives no viable chances of rehabilitation, or perhaps of being re-born while dealing with the life of being an inmate.

There are crimes that are committed in insanity, in vengeance, for money and greed and various other reasons that could be surfaced and dealt with in a civilised manner. Could our society today still resolve to punishing individuals in such a barbaric way? It doesn't matter whether the state adopts humane or inhumane methods of execution, be it beheading, electric chair, lethal injection, hanging or firing squad The truth of the matter is we are taking lives, we are soiling our hands with the stench of such blood by killing the culprit by our own hands just because this seems like the appropriate thing to do. What if a father, who has seen his daughter being raped by a man goes out with a gun and shoots at the rapist? Didn't he award capital punishment in his own court and compensated his peace of mind?

We can't deny the fact that over the years we have seen a vast number of cases where miscarriages of justice have been done. And where potential fallibility of the criminal justice system co-exists with death penalty, the whole phenomenon gains an inescapable risk. Like in April, 2002 the so called 100th inmate on death row' was declared not guilty for the murder of a bar waitress in Arizona after the DNA evidence obtained in his favour. In many cases, it is apparent that a majority of the convicts who face capital punishment belong to economically weaker section of the society, who can't afford a lawyer and are provided government appointed defence. Hence, our law derives contentment and glory of its justice out of the helplessness of the accused.

As capital punishment still breathes in the law, it is a direct violation to the Right to life' and Right NOT to be subjected to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment' proclaimed in the Universal Declaration

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