India
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- federal parliamentary republic
- CONSTITUTION
- January 26, 1950; amended several times
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on English common law; partial review of legislative acts by the judiciary
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- bicameral, Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and People's Assembly (Lok Sabha)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court, judges appointed by the President and serve until 65 years of age
RELIGIONS
80% Hindu; 11% Muslims; 2% Christians; 2% Sikhs; Buddhist minorities and others
From the country
JANUARY 19, 2021IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: SURENDER KOLI GETS 12TH DEATH SENTENCE IN NITHARI MURDER CASE
A Special CBI court in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on 17 January 2021 awarded death sentence to Surinder Koli in yet another case related to one of the country’s most sensational case — the Nithari serial rape and murder case.
JANUARY 14, 2021IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: TWELVE YEARS AFTER HE WAS JAILED, SUPREME COURT ORDERS RELEASE OF DEATH ROW CONVICT
The Supreme Court of India on 5 January 2021 acquitted Hari Om alias 'Hero' who had been convicted and sentenced to death by a trial court for committing murder and dacoity (banditry).
JANUARY 11, 2021IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPE, MURDER
The District and Sessions Court of Haveri, in Karnataka, sentenced a man to death under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act on 7 January 2021, after finding him guilty of raping and murdering a minor girl in 2018.
DECEMBER 30, 2020IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN AWARDED DOUBLE DEATH PENALTY FOR RAPE, MURDER OF 7-YEAR OLD DALIT GIRL IN TAMIL NADU
A young man was on 29 December 2020 awarded double death sentence by a court in the district of Pudukottai, Tamil Nadu, for the rape and murder of a seven-year old Dalit girl last year.
DECEMBER 28, 2020IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: ASSAM MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPE AND MURDER OF A FIVE-YEAR-OLD GIRL
A court in Assam on 21 December 2020 sentenced a man to death for the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl. The incident reportedly took place in the Dekorai tea garden area under Sootea police station in Bishwanath district in 2018.
- DECEMBER 3, 2020IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR RAPE AND MURDER OF MINOR GIRL
A Firozabad court in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, awarded death sentence on 1st December 2020 in a rape and murder case of an eight-year-old girl last year.
- NOVEMBER 10, 2020IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: COURT SENTENCES MAN TO DEATH FOR MURDERS
A Lucknow court on 6 November 2020 sentenced a man to death for killing his brother, sister-in-law and their two children two and a half years ago.
- NOVEMBER 2, 2020IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: SUPREME COURT COMMUTES DEATH PENALTY TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MAN CONVICTED FOR RAPE, MURDER OF 2-YEAR-OLD
The Supreme Court on 2 November 2020 commuted to life imprisonment the death penalty awarded to a Maharashtra man convicted of raping and killing a 2-year-old infant in 2013.
OCTOBER 28, 2020IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: BIHAR MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR KILLING NINE PEOPLE IN WARANGAL
A local court in Warangal on 28 October 2020 awarded death penalty to a migrant worker after holding him guilty of killing nine persons and dumping them in a well near a gunny bags manufacturing unit in Gorrekunta village on 21 May.
OCTOBER 21, 2020IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: ASSAM DEATH PENALTY FOR LYNCHING DOCTOR
A Jorhat court on 21 October 2020 handed death penalty to an accused and life terms to 24 others convicted in the Dr Deben Dutta lynching case of 2019.
OCTOBER 17, 2020IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: HAPUR COURT AWARDS DEATH PENALTY FOR RAPE, MURDER OF MINOR
The District and Sessions Court of Hapur, Uttar Pradesh, on 15 October 2020 awarded death penalty to two domestic helps for raping and killing a 12-year-old girl in September 2018.
OCTOBER 7, 2020IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: DELHI MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDERING 11-YEAR-OLD BOY
A Delhi court on 6 October 2020 awarded death penalty to a 32-year man for killing an 11-year-old child after kidnapping him in 2009, saying the act was “cruel and gruesome and did not deserve leniency”.