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
- MAY 2, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
KUWAIT. FIVE MEN EXECUTED FOR MURDER, DRUG SMUGGLING, RAPE
Kuwait carried out the executions of five men convicted of murder and drug smuggling. The bodies of the men were then put on public display from the gallows.
- APRIL 21, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. DEATH SENTENCE FOR TWO HARYANA GANG MEMBERS
the Ranipet Fast Track Court, India, sentenced to death two gang members from Haryana for murder.
- APRIL 5, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. WOMAN GIVEN DEATH SENTENCE FOR BURNING DAUGHTER-IN-LAW
a court in Moga, in the Indian state of Punjab, sentenced to death a woman exactly a month after burning her daughter-in-law to death in a fit of rage.
- MARCH 31, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. MAN GETS DEATH FOR RAPING, KILLING 3-YR-OLD DAUGHTER
a New Delhi court sentenced to death 26-year-old Sheikh Noor Hussain for raping and killing his three-year-old daughter. Additional sessions judge S.K. Kaushik awarded capital punishment to Hussain for murder and also read out a life sentence, the maximum
- MARCH 31, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. SUPREME COURT STAYS DEATH SENTENCE AWARDED TO VARANASI GUIDE
India’s Supreme Court stayed a death sentence awarded to a guide for killing a female New Zealand tourist at Varanasi in 1997.
- MARCH 23, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. WOMAN AND HER LOVER SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER OF HUSBAND
the Kollam Ad Hoc I Sessions Court in India’s Kerala state sentenced to death Binitha Kumari, 35, and her lover Raju, 38, for the murder of the Binitha’s husband Vidhukumaran Thampi on April 18, 2000.
- MARCH 15, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. THREE PEOPLE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
the Fast Track Court in Roorkee, India, sentenced to death Amit, Dharmendra and Jitendra for the murder of two people, including a retired policeman, at their Shakti Vihar Colony residence on August 9, 2003.
- MARCH 9, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
PAKISTAN. COURT REJECTS 'SPY' PLEA
Pakistan's Supreme Court rejected a review appeal by Manjit Singh, an Indian on death row for spying. He had been convicted of spying and carrying out a series of bombings in 1990 which killed 14 people. His family said he was Sarabjit Singh - a farmer wh
- MARCH 3, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. CAPITAL SENTENCE UPHELD BY HIGH COURT
the Allahabad High Court, India, upheld the death sentence handed to Mulla and Guddu by the Sitapur Sessions Court on April 3, 2005 in connection with the case of five villagers held hostage for ransom who were executed due to non fulfilment of the killer
- FEBRUARY 27, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDER
an additional sessions court in Bhind in India’s Madhya Pradesh state, sentenced to death Vijay Singh for the murder of Anil Mahto and his son Madan Mahto.
- FEBRUARY 25, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. FIVE GANG MEMBERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
the Etawah Court in Kanpur, India, sentenced to death five alleged members of underworld don Chhota Rajan’s gang in connection with a 2002 murder.
- FEBRUARY 23, 2006IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA. GUJARAT HIGH COURT UPHOLDS DEATH SENTENCE FOR RAPE AND MURDER OF MINOR
the Gujarat High Court in Ahmedabad, India, upheld a lower court judgement sentencing Ramesh Rathod, 31, to death for kidnapping, raping and murdering a 10-year-old girl in Surat city in 1999.