Kasab 'appeals death sentence'

[Bang Galore]

in other words our judicial system is crap (which it actually is) working with Indian civil servants has been described as a "slow and painstaking process"

remember only the president can uphold a death sentence or decide for clemency and the president is from a political party (either BJP or Congress) right Pratbiha Patil is our president (unfortunately)

Not really unique to India. It takes about 10+ years for a death sentence to be carried out in the U.S.. The question of delay is relevant only after the SC disposes of the petition. The President's personal opinion is irrelevant, the mercy petition is decided upon by the Union Home ministry & the government of the state where the incident happened. Unfortunately in India, we are seeing a subverting of the judicial process by holding up the implementation of death sentences simply because the government does not have the guts to pardon Afzal guru & is worried of the consequences of executing him. All other unrelated executions are also being held up because the government does not want to make it obvious that they don't want to deal with the Afzal guru case separately. The Kasab case is however still in the judicial system & therefore there is no chance of the government doing anything about it.