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 12, 2021IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: SC COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCE OF CONVICT WHO KILLED 2 SIBLINGS, NEPHEW
The Supreme Court of India on 10 December 2021 commuted the death sentence of a convict for the murder of his two siblings and nephew over a property dispute, stating that the court should take into account the criminal's state of mind along with the crim
DECEMBER 8, 2021IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: CONVICT GETS DEATH PENALTY IN GUJARAT FOR RAPE AND MURDER OF TODDLER
Surat special court for Protection of Children for Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act awarded death penalty on 7 December 2021 to the convict Guddu Yadav (35) for rape and murder of a two-year-old minor girl in Pandesara area, in the indian State of Gujarat.
- DECEMBER 5, 2021IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: MAN ESCAPES GALLOWS IN SODOMY OF BOY WHO LATER DIED
The Madras high court on 3 December 2021 commuted the death sentence awarded to a man to 30 years of imprisonment in a case where the man had sexually assaulted and caused the death of a 17-year-old mentally challenged boy in Pudukottai district in 2019.
NOVEMBER 25, 2021IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MUMBAI'S HIGH COURT COMMUTES DEATH SENTENCES IN RAPE CASE
Mumbai's High Court on 25 November 2021 commuted the death sentences of three men convicted in a rape case that heightened public outrage over women's safety in India.
NOVEMBER 18, 2021IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: UTTAR PRADESH MAN TO BE HANGED FOR KILLING HIS 3 DAUGHTERS
An alcoholic man in Lalitpur district (Uttar Pradesh), who had killed his three daughters out of five three years ago, was sentenced to death by additional district and sessions judge Nirbhay Prakash on 12 November 2021.
NOVEMBER 11, 2021IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: SUPREME COURT STATES RAPE, MURDER VICTIMS' AGE INSUFFICIENT FOR DEATH PENALTY
Low age of victims in rape-and-murder cases has not been considered as the "only or sufficient factor by this court" for imposing the death penalty, the Supreme Court said on 10 November 2021.
NOVEMBER 8, 2021IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPING, KILLING MINOR IN UP
A district court in Bahraich, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, has sentenced 20-year-old Phoolchand Kanaujia to death after seven months of raping and killing a 12-year-old girl, News Track reported on 7 November 2021.
NOVEMBER 2, 2021IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: 4 SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR 2013 GANDHI MAIDAN BLASTS IN PATNA; JAIL FOR 5 OTHERS
Four of the nine men convicted for the 2013 serial blasts at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan were sentenced to death by a Patna court on 1st November 2021.
- OCTOBER 27, 2021IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: COUPLE AWARDED FOUR DEATH SENTENCES FOR KILLING FAMILY MEMBERS IN TAMIL NADU
A special court near Chennai on 26 October 2021 convicted and sentenced a couple to four death sentences, double lifer and imposed a fine of Rs six lakh for killing their family members in 2019.
OCTOBER 25, 2021IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR RAPING AND MURDERING 7-YEAR-OLD GIRL
A special POCSO court on 21 October 2021 awarded capital punishment to a man for murdering a 7-year-old girl after raping her in Nagaur district of Rajasthan.
- OCTOBER 23, 2021IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: NINE GET DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER OF 3 MEMBERS OF FAMILY IN RAYAGADA
Nine persons on 21 October 2021 were awarded death sentence in Odisha by the Rayagada district and sessions court for the murder of three members of a family in Kitum village in 2016 on the suspicion of practising witchcraft.
OCTOBER 14, 2021IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: JHAJJAR MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR HONOUR KILLING
A court in the Indian state of Haryana on 12 October 2021 awarded death sentence to a man for the murder of three members of his sister-in-law’s family for ‘honour’ in 2016 in Kharkhoda of Sonepat.