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
- SEPTEMBER 13, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN. PAKISTAN SAYS DEATH-ROW INDIAN SPY'S FATE DEPENDS ON MERCY
it was reported that Pakistan's Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri told the Hindi news channel Aaj Tak that the fate of Sarabjit Singh, an Indian national on death row in Pakistan convicted as a spy and for setting bombs that killed several people, c
- SEPTEMBER 10, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN. PRESIDENT EXAMINING CASE OF INDIAN NATIONAL ON DEATH ROW SARABJIT SINGH
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf said he had taken no decision yet on the fate of an Indian national sentenced to hang on spying and bombing charges but added he was examining the case
- SEPTEMBER 6, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN. INDIAN NATIONAL ON DEATH ROW IN PAKISTAN TO BE SPARED, REPORT
Islamabad assured New Delhi that Sarabjit Singh, an Indian sentenced to be hanged in Pakistan on bombing and spying charges, would be reprieved, the Hindu newspaper said.
- SEPTEMBER 6, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
India. Amnesty protests death penalty
Human rights campaign group Amnesty International called on India to abolish the death penalty, a day before European Union officials were due to meet Indian leaders at a summit to be held in New Delhi.
- SEPTEMBER 5, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. JAMA MASJID IMAM URGES PAKISTAN’S MUSHARRAF TO FREE DEATH ROW INMATE SARABJIT SINGH
the Imam of New Delhi's Jama Masjid, Syed Abdullah Bukhari and his son Syed Yahaya Bukhari, who is the President of the Jama Masjid United Front, appealed to Pakistan's President General Pervez Musharraf to release Indian death row inmate Sarabjit Singh o
- AUGUST 30, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN. INDIAN DIPLOMATS VISIT DEATH ROW PRISONER
Indian diplomats met Sarabjit Singh, a prisoner held on death row in Pakistan on bombing and spying charges, saying afterwards that they were hopeful of resolving the case. Islamabad accused Sarabjit of being an Indian agent who carried out four bomb atta
- AUGUST 26, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN. INDIA GRANTED CONSULAR ACCESS TO "SPY" ON DEATH ROW
Islamabad agreed to allow Indian diplomats to visit Sarabjit Singh, one of their nationals on death row on charges of being a spy, Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran said. Pakistan had Singh of being an Indian spy who carried out four bomb attacks, but
- AUGUST 25, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. 5,000 RALLY FOR ALLEGED INDIAN SPY FACING DEATH IN PAKISTAN
nearly 5,000 people held a rally as shops and businesses shut down in the home town of Sarabjeet Singh, an Indian facing death by hanging in Pakistan, demanding clemency and his immediate return home. In New Delhi, India's External Affairs Minister Natwar
- AUGUST 23, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN. INDIAN LEADER TO QUESTION PAKISTAN'S MUSHARRAF ABOUT CONDEMNED ‘SPY’
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said he would speak to Pakistan's president about Sarabjit Singh, an alleged Indian spy handed the death sentence in Pakistan.
- AUGUST 22, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN. INDIAN FAMILY THREATENS SUICIDE IF ‘SPY’ IS EXECUTED
relatives of Manjit Singh, an Indian man sentenced to hang in Pakistan for spying, threatened to kill themselves if the execution was carried out.
- AUGUST 10, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. CITU LEADER SENTENCED TO DEATH
the Contai fast track court in East Midnapore, India, sentenced to death a prominent Citu leader, Purnendu Patra, and sentenced CPI-Ms Nilpur local committee secretary, Rabindra Jana, to life rigorous imprisonment.
- AUGUST 8, 2005IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. KASHMIR SHUTS DOWN TO DEMAND LIFTING OF DEATH SENTENCE
a one-day strike seeking the lifting of a death sentence on Mohammed Afzal, a man convicted over a deadly 2001 raid on India's parliament, paralysed much of Indian Kashmir, residents said. Most schools, shops, post offices and banks remained closed in the
