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        There is a saying that the king kills immediately but God ultimately. The ruler representing God kills according to the law of the land.

        Capital punishment has its pros and cons. The main argument against it is that human judgment being fallible, a wrong verdict could send the accused to the gallows.

        Moderns have a natural revulsion to execution and hence the plea for commuting death sentence to life imprisonment.

        The idea is to make punishment reformatory to enable the prisoner to start a new life after release. Hardened criminals cannot be reformed.

        Reform of a lifer would be relevant if he has some years to live after release. In such cases, the State has to offer him means to subsistence.

        Islam has harsh laws asking for decapitation for smaller offences. The victim's relatives have the right to pardon the offender in return for a penalty paid in cash.

        The theory of capital punishment being a deterrent does not hold good. Murder is committed because of hostility or because of a sudden urge of anger.

        The latter is deemed culpable homicide not amounting to murder and is awarded life sentence. Hardened criminals get double life sentence.