---
title: "Pardoning Power of the President (Article 72) — Definition"
description: "The Pardoning Power of the President under Article 72 allows the Indian President to grant clemency, impacting justice and legal outcomes significantly."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/pardoning-power-article-72"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- Article 72 of the Constitution of India empowers the President to grant pardons, reprieves, respites, or remissions of punishment and to suspend, remit, or commute any sentence.
- Can the President exercise the pardoning power independently of the Council of Ministers?
- How does the President's power under Article 72 differ from the Governor's power under Article 161?
- Is a clemency decision under Article 72 subject to judicial review?
- What happens if there is excessive delay in deciding a mercy petition?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

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In 2015, President Pranab Mukherjee rejected the mercy petition of Yakub Memon, convicted in the 1993 Mumbai bombings case, who was subsequently executed at Nagpur Central Jail on 30 July 2015.

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