New Delhi, Jan. 22 -- The Supreme Court has reserved its judgement on pleas seeking an alternative way for the execution of death row convicts on the ground that hanging till death is a painful and inhumane way to execute the death penalty.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta has asked the counsels representing the petitioners and the Attorney General of India, representing the Centre, to file their written briefs, if any, within three weeks.

The apex court was hearing a batch of pleas, including the main petition filed by one Rishi Malhotra and another applicant, Project 39A, all seeking directions to the Centre to devise a more or less painful, more dignified and socially acceptable mode of execution.

Malhotra's plea wa...