Against the backdrop of the apex court refusing to commute death sentence of Khalistani terrorist Devenderpal Singh Bhullar, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his Deputy Sukhbir Singh Badal met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here today.

Badal had been maintaining that Bhullar’s death sentence be commuted to life imprisonment as the veteran SAD (Shiromani Akali Dal) leader is apprehending that the hanging could vitiate peace in Punjab.

Earlier, Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, had directed Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, mini Parliament of Sikhs, to ensure measures to save Bhullar from the gallows.

The Supreme Court had last week dismissed death row convict Bhullar’s plea for commutation of his death sentence.

The apex court had reserved its order on April 19 last year on the plea of Bhullar’s family which had filed a petition on his behalf pleading that his capital punishment be commuted to life imprisonment as there has been “inordinate” delay in deciding his mercy plea and he is not mentally sound.

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