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
OCTOBER 12, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: HIGH COURT REDUCES ’CYANIDE’ MOHAN’S DEATH PENALTY TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT
The Karnataka High Court reduced ’Cyanide’ Mohan Kumar’s death penalty to life imprisonment in the rape and murder case of one Anita of Kolimane, Bantwal taluk in 2009.
OCTOBER 9, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: GUJARAT HC COMMUTES DEATH PENALTY FOR 11 CONVICTS TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT
The Gujarat high court commuted the death penalty awarded by a lower court to 11 convicts in the 2002 Godhra train burning case to life imprisonment.
- SEPTEMBER 18, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTY
the President has commuted the death sentences of as Jitu Nainsingh Gehlot, to life imprisonment, against the recommendation of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
the President has commuted the death sentences of as Jitu Nainsingh Gehlot, to life imprisonment, against the recommendation of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
- SEPTEMBER 7, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTY
1993 MUMBAI BLASTS VERDICT: TAHIR MERCHANT, FEROZ KHAN AWARDED DEATH PENALTY, ABU SALEM GETS LIFE
Tahir Merchant and Feroz Abdul Rashid Khan, two of the accused in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, were awarded the death sentence by a special Terrorist and Disruptive Activity (TADA) Court in Mumbai.
AUGUST 29, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN GETS DEATH FOR KILLING WIFE, 3 KIDS
A Special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Lucknow awarded death sentence to a man for killing six persons, including his wife and three children.
JULY 7, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA IMPLEMENTS NEW ANTI-HIJACKING LAW THAT ENTAILS DEATH PENALTY
India's new anti-hijacking law that entails capital punishment for the perpetrators in case of death of any person, has come into force.
JUNE 29, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTYDELAY IN EXECUTION OF DEATH ROW CONVICT IS DEHUMANISING: DELHI HC
Delay in the execution of a death row convict after his capital punishment has been confirmed by the highest judicial forum, torments the prisoner, has a dehumanising effect on him and violates the law, the Delhi High Court has said.
- JUNE 23, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: ORISSA HC COMMUTES DEATH PENALTY TO 35 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT
Orissa high court provided relief to five persons, who were convicted in rape and murder of a minor girl in Keonjhar, by commuting death penalty of two of the convicts to 35 years of imprisonment and acquitting the remaining three.
JUNE 19, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: NASHIK MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH IN HONOUR KILLING CASE
In a landmark judgment related to "honour killing", the Nashik district sessions court sentenced a man to death for killing his pregnant daughter in 2013 because she had married outside their caste.
- JUNE 18, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: PRESIDENT MUKHERJEE REJECTS 2 MORE MERCY PETITIONS; TOTAL 30
The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee has rejected two more mercy petitions filed by the convicts awarded death punishment.
- JUNE 15, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: MAN GETS DEATH SENTENCE FOR DOUBLE MURDER
A court in Rae Bareli (UP) awarded death sentence to a man for murdering a middle-aged couple in 2010.
- JUNE 5, 2017IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: TWO GET CAPITAL PUNISHMENT FOR TRIPLE MURDER
The Namakkal Additional District Court awarded capital punishment to two persons in connection with a triple murder that took place in 2011.