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 18, 2002IndiaDEATH PENALTY
Police in Jammu and Kashmir were put on high alert...
Police in Jammu and Kashmir were put on high alert after a POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act) designated court in New Delhi awarded death sentences to three Kashmiris, namely Syed Abdur, Rehman Geelani, Showkat Guru and Mohammad Afzal for the attack on pa
- DECEMBER 18, 2002IndiaDEATH PENALTY
Abdul Sattar Guru, father of Shaukat Guru, one of the...
Abdul Sattar Guru, father of Shaukat Guru, one of the men sentenced to death by a POTA court in New Delhi for the Parliament attack case, spoke out in his son's defence: "I can say with authority that my son Shaukat has been sentenced for nothing
- DECEMBER 18, 2002IndiaDEATH PENALTY
An anti-terrorism court in Delhi sentenced to death...
An anti-terrorism court in Delhi sentenced to death three men convicted of helping militants attack India's parliament in 2001
- DECEMBER 3, 2002IndiaDEATH PENALTY
The Times Of India published an interview with lawyer...
The Times Of India published an interview with lawyer and activist, Subrata Mukherjee, regarding the proposed implementation of the death penalty for convicted rapists
- DECEMBER 2, 2002IndiaDEATH PENALTY
A witch doctor found guilty of sacrificing a nine-year-old...
A witch doctor found guilty of sacrificing a nine-year-old boy six years ago was sentenced to death by a Jharkhand court
- DECEMBER 1, 2002IndiaDEATH PENALTY
In an editorial in the Hindustan Times Vir Sanghvi...
In an editorial in the Hindustan Times Vir Sanghvi argued against the debated implementation of the death penalty to convicted rapists: "I have two problems with the death-penalty-for-rape approach
- NOVEMBER 30, 2002IndiaDEATH PENALTY
Gang rape victim Anjana Mishra stated in the Hindustan...
Gang rape victim Anjana Mishra stated in the Hindustan Times that rapists should not be sentenced to death
- NOVEMBER 30, 2002IndiaDEATH PENALTY
India Defence Minister George Fernandes joined a rising...
India Defence Minister George Fernandes joined a rising call to apply the death penalty to rapists, saying Chinese-style execution would be suitable in India where a woman is molested every hour
- NOVEMBER 30, 2002IndiaDEATH PENALTY
Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani's suggestion that...
Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani's suggestion that rapists should be hanged does not seem to be favoured by legal experts, social activists and police personnel in the city
- NOVEMBER 30, 2002IndiaDEATH PENALTY
India Defence Minister George Fernandes joined a rising...
India Defence Minister George Fernandes joined a rising call to apply the death penalty to rapists, saying Chinese-style execution would be suitable in India where a woman is molested every hour
- NOVEMBER 29, 2002IndiaDEATH PENALTY
The Secretary of the All India Democratic Women's Association,...
The Secretary of the All India Democratic Women's Association, Brinda Karat, said the Deputy Prime Minister, L
- NOVEMBER 29, 2002IndiaDEATH PENALTY
Legal experts declared themselves divided over the...
Legal experts declared themselves divided over the announcement made by deputy prime minister L K Advani that rapists should be awarded capital punishment