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
- NOVEMBER 2, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. PUDR GIVES ITS REASON FOR ABOLISHMENT OF THE DEATH PENALTY
the People’s Union for Democratic Rights (PUDR), a civil rights body in India which is in the process of gathering information on the number of people executed in the country, said that its opposition to the death penalty was based on three factors.
- NOVEMBER 2, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. LEGISLATURE WILL DECIDE ON DEATH PENALTY: CHIEF JUSTICE
India's new chief justice, Y.K. Sabharwal, sought to distance himself from the debate on the death penalty, saying the legislature would have to take a final call on the issue.
- OCTOBER 31, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. PAKISTANI SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR INDIA FORT ATTACK
a Delhi court sentenced to death Mohammad Ashfaq, a Pakistani, over a militant attack at New Delhi's famous 17th Century Red Fort in December 2000.
- OCTOBER 31, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPE AND MURDER
the Manjeri Fast Track Court in Malappuram, India, sentenced a man to death after convicting him of raping and murdering a 12-year-old schoolgirl.
- OCTOBER 29, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. UNION LAW MINISTER IN FAVOUR OF DEATH PENALTY, CALLS FOR DEBATE
the Indian government is yet to take a decision on the abolition of the death penalty and is going by the Supreme Court’s guideline that it be awarded in only in the rarest of rare cases, said Union law minister H R Bhardwaj.
- OCTOBER 26, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. PRESIDENT CALLS FOR COMPREHENSIVE POLICY ON DEATH PENALTY
continuing the debate in India on pardons for death row convicts, President A P J Abdul Kalam said a policy should be laid down after all aspects relating to the death penalty had been discussed in Parliament.
- OCTOBER 26, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. TEENAGERS SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR TWIN MURDERS IN 2003
an additional session court in Mumbai, India, sentenced to death Assis Domnic Warawale and Clint Ernish Fernandes, and gave five years rigorous imprisonment to Wilfred Dias for the murder of Leticia Xavier Mendes and her grandson Master Dylon Sunil Lobo.
- OCTOBER 24, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is provided for by the Penal Code and by Art. 21 of the Constitution which states
The death penalty is provided for by the Penal Code and by Art. 21 of the Constitution which states
- OCTOBER 20, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. NEW CJI FAVOURS ABOLITION OF DEATH PENALTY
Chief J ustice of India-designate Justice YK Sabarwal said he favoured abolition of the death penalty. Justice Sabarwal, who was due to take over as CJI on November 1, said as a Supreme Court Judge he favoured the awarding of capital punishment but he wan
- OCTOBER 19, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. KALAM'S MOVE BOOSTS CAMPAIGN AGAINST DEATH PENALTY
President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam's direction to review the cases of some people on death row left the government in a dilemma, but it appeared to have given a new momentum to the campaign against the death penalty.
- OCTOBER 18, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. EDITORIAL: SHALL WE ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY?
“Recent events in various countries (especially in the developing world) have driven many to the conclusion that murder will never cease to be an instrument of politics until the execution even of proved murderers is regarded as immoral and wrong. In the
- OCTOBER 16, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. DEATH ROW MERCY PLEAS: PRESIDENT KALAM IN FAVOUR OF PARDON TO MOST
in a move without any precedent, President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam advised the Government to consider a pardon for a majority of an estimated 50 individuals on death row whose mercy petitions were pending before him.