1 / 10The Supreme Court on Friday initiated a suo moto case to develop guidelines to be followed by courts across the country, while considering matters which involve death penalty.2 / 10A three-judge bench of Justices U.U. Lalit, S. Ravindra Bhat, and P.S. Narasimha sought assistance from Attorney General K.K. Venugopal, and also issued a notice to the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA).3 / 10The bench indicated that it would lay down guidelines to be followed by courts across the country in connection with cases involving death sentences4 / 10 The bench noted that convicts are at a stage where the litigation assistance is bare minimum.5 / 10The Attorney General concurred with the bench that the system -- to deal with issues pertaining with death sentences -- needs to be institutionalised.6 / 10During the hearing, amicus curiae advocate K. Parameshwar cited a policy in Madhya Pradesh under which public prosecutors are given increment based on the number of sentences awarded in matters prosecuted by them. Senior advocate Siddharth Dave is also an amicus curiae in the matter.7 / 10The bench said this policy should be brought on record and scheduled the matter for further hearing on May 10.8 / 10Last month, the top court initiated suo moto proceedings for revamping the manner in which death sentences are handed down by the courts. It noted that the process should have more objectivity.9 / 10The top court registered the case to examine how the courts, which deal with death sentence matters, can develop a comprehensive analysis on the nature of the crime and the accused. 10 / 10It also pointed at the mitigating circumstances, which the concerned court can look into, while deciding whether a death sentence should be awarded or not.