With the clemency petition filed by Rajiv Gandhi assasins Sriharan alias Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan alias Arivu, the date of hanging the assasin trio has been fixed for 9 September.

Their lawyers have been expressing hope that they could still approach the Supreme Court to either stay the execution or at least reduce the punishment to life-term. Political leaders who met them in the prison have been pitching strong on the need for the intervention of the State and the central governments under article 72 and 161 of the constitution to stay the execution. The State, however, has not responded to this plea and now the execution is fixed for 9 September.