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
- DECEMBER 5, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: HC COMMUTES TO LIFE CHILD KILLER'S DEATH SENTENCE
a man sentenced to death for murdering a child had his death sentenced commuted to life imprisonment by the Madras high court in India.
- DECEMBER 1, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: CLEMENCY SOUGHT FOR 11
the Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) sought clemency for 11 people given the death penalty by the special sessions court, which heard cases regarding the serial church blasts across Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh in 2000.
NOVEMBER 29, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTYDEATH PENALTY FOR 11 IN KARNATAKA CHURCH BLAST CASE
a special court in India awarded the death sentence to 11 people, life imprisonment to 12 and acquitted four
- NOVEMBER 26, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR RAPE AND MURDER OF TEENAGED GIRL
the Mahila court in Coimbatore, India, awarded the death sentence to a daily wage worker for kidnapping, raping and murdering a teenaged girl three years ago
- NOVEMBER 22, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: KHAIRLANJI CONVICTS MOVE HC AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
those convicted in the Khairlanji case in India filed an appeal to the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court challenging their death penalty.
- NOVEMBER 14, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: SC ACQUITS TWO SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TRIPLE MURDER
slamming the Madhya Pradesh Government for shoddy prosecution, the Indian Supreme Court acquitted
- NOVEMBER 8, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: MAN ON DEATH ROW GETS RELIEF FROM HIGH COURT
the Madras High Court in India acquitted an accused in a murder case, setting aside the death sentence by a lower court. Ramesh was arrested on February 16, 2007 for murdering Thiruvatchi Ammal on January 19, 2004 in Avinandgudi.
- NOVEMBER 4, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: FARM HAND GIVEN DEATH TERM FOR KILLING COUPLE
a man in Fatehabad, India, was awarded capital punishment by a local court for the killing of a farmer couple in Raipur Dhani.
OCTOBER 31, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: ANTONY COMMUTES DEATH PENALTY OF JAWAN
an Army jawan in India facing the death penalty for killing an officer had his death sentenced commuted to
- OCTOBER 29, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTY
the Indian Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of the state of Uttar Pradesh and directed the acquittal of two
the Indian Supreme Court dismissed the appeal of the state of Uttar Pradesh and directed the acquittal of two
- OCTOBER 26, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: MAN GETS HC REPRIEVE: SENTENCE COMMUTED FROM DEATH TO LIFE
a division bench of Justices RP Dholakia and Justice ZK Saiyad commuted the death sentence awarded to a rape-and-murder case accused to life imprisonment.
- OCTOBER 23, 2008IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR THREE BROTHERS IN UTTAR PRADESH
a court in Uttar Pradesh, India, sentenced three brothers to death in a decade-old triple murder case.