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
MARCH 4, 2019IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: SC COMMUTES DEATH PENALTY TO LIFE TERM CITING MAN'S REFORMATIVE POEMS
The Supreme Court has commuted the death penalty awarded to a man for murdering a child into life imprisonment after his poems indicated that he realised his mistake and wanted to reform himself, PTI reported on 3 March 2019.
FEBRUARY 26, 2019IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: DEATH PENALTY TO MAN WHO RAPED 3-YEAR-OLD GIRL
A court on 20 February 2019 awarded death sentence to a person who was found guilty of raping and killing a three-year-old girl in Jharkhand's Gumla district.
FEBRUARY 21, 2019IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: GUJARAT HIGH COURT SPARES TWO CHILD KILLERS THE GALLOWS
The Gujarat High Court on 18 February 2019 saved two persons—Akshay Patel and Kuldip Panchal—who had brutally murdered a four-and-a-half-year-old kid for ransom, from the gallows.
FEBRUARY 18, 2019IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: COURT AWARDS DEATH PENALTY TO MAN FOR GIRLFRIEND MURDER
In a landmark judgment, sessions judge, Senapati district, A. Noutuneshwari, on 5 February 2019 awarded death penalty to a 29-year old man Yumkhaibam Rohit alias Rajesh, son of late Y. Riyajuddin of Khergao Makha Leikai, for murdering his girlfriend Pukhr
JANUARY 31, 2019IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: COURT AWARDS DEATH SENTENCE TO FATHER WHO WAS GUILTY OF POISONING TWO CHILDREN
The Kundapur additional sessions court on 19 January 2019 awarded the death penalty for a father who was found guilty in the death of two children by poisoning them at Ganganadu near Byndoor.
- JANUARY 25, 2019IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: SUPREME COURT ACQUITS THREE DEATH PENALTY CONVICTS, COMMUTES SENTENCE OF ONE
The Supreme Court on 23 January 2019 acquitted three persons who had been awarded death penalty in a murder case. The death sentence awarded to a fourth accused was commuted to life imprisonment.
- JANUARY 23, 2019IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: KERALA MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPE, MURDER OF WOMAN, DAUGHTER
The Thodupuzha second additional sessions judge KK Sujatha on 17 January 2019 awarded death penalty to Jomon, of Peruvelipparambil house, Kumily, who raped and killed a woman and her daughter at Vandiperiyar in Idukki 12 years ago.
- JANUARY 11, 2019IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: SC COMMUTES PUNE BUS ACCIDENT CONVICT'S DEATH PENALTY TO LIFE SENTENCE
The Supreme Court on 9 January 2019 commuted to life imprisonment the death sentence awarded to bus driver Santosh Mane, convicted for killing nine people in 2012, by mowing them down in Pune.
- JANUARY 1, 2019IndiaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is provided for by the Penal Code and by Art. 21 of the Constitution
The death penalty is provided for by the Penal Code and by Art. 21 of the Constitution
- DECEMBER 31, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: BOMBAY HC UPHOLDS DEATH PENALTY OF WOMAN TECHIE KILLER
The Bombay High Court on 20 December 2018 upheld a trial court verdict awarding the death penalty to a man convicted of raping and killing a 23-year-old woman techie from Andhra Pradesh in 2014, describing him as a "menace to the society".
DECEMBER 31, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: IN 2018 COURTS HANDED OUT MOST DEATH PENALTIES SINCE 2000
A legislative intervention to extend capital punishment to non-homicide crimes may be the reason for a higher number of death penalties handed out in 2018.
DECEMBER 20, 2018IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN AWARDED DEATH PENALTY FOR 'WAGING WAR AGAINST COUNTRY'
A district court on 15 December 2018 sentenced Sheikh Abdullah Nayeem alias Sk Samir, who had links with terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, to death for "waging war against the country".