New Delhi, Jan 21 (IANS): The Indian government should declare a moratorium on death penalty, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday, after the Supreme Court commuted the death sentence of 15 people on death row.

“The Supreme Court has taken a humane view on the issue of death penalty, and we welcome this judgment," said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia Director of Human Rights Watch.

"Now it’s time for the government to take some positive steps of its own," she said in a statement.

"The government should declare an official moratorium, commute all existing death sentences to life in prison, and work towards abolishing the death penalty once and for all.

"India should show its commitment to justice by joining the growing ranks of nations that have decided to abolish the death penalty.

"Human Rights Watch has repeatedly called for the end of capital punishment as it is an inherently irreversible, inhumane punishment,” the statement said.