The Supreme Court today stayed the execution of death row convict Yakub Abdul Razak Memon, a key conspirator in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. A Bench comprising Justices J S Khehar and C Nagappan issued notice to the Maharashtra government and others on the plea of Memon and said that in the meantime, execution proceedings will remain stayed.

The Court also referred to a Constitution Bench, a plea of Memon that review petitions in death penalty cases should not be heard by the apex court in chamber proceedings and be decided in open court.

A Bench of Justices P Sathasivam and B S Chauhan had on March 21st this year, upheld the death sentence of Memon. Earlier, President Pranab Mukherjee had rejected his mercy petition.

Memon had challenged the President's decision to reject his mercy petition. He had said that the apex court had commuted the death sentence of similarly placed convicts to life term in other cases.