Why do Judges reserve judgement on sentence after convicting an accused?
There is such law that after convicting an accused, the judge will hear accused on how much sentence he should be awarded.
Prosecutor asks for maximum punishment. Defense counsel for accused argues for minimum sentence.
So this is routine a stage to hear accused on quantum of sentence.
But in cases of murder or where minimum punishment is life imprisonment and prosecutor is not asking for death sentence, a judge can dispense with this procedure and can straight away pronounce life imprisonment after convicting an accused.
But in all other cases above procedure is followed.
Haresh Raichura
26/10/2012