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
AUGUST 2, 2022IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH BY GUJARAT COURT FOR RAPE, MURDER OF MINOR GIRL
A 31-year-old man was sentenced to death by a special court in Gujarat on 26 July 2022 for kidnapping, raping and murdering a minor girl, a verdict coming less than four months after the offence was committed.
JUNE 28, 2022IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: DEATH PENALTY TO YOUTH FOR RAPE AND MURDER
A court in East Burdwan’s Katwa on 24 June 2022 handed the death penalty to a youth for the rape and murder of a five-year-old girl in 2018.
MAY 26, 2022IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: 3 MEN GET DEATH PENALTY FOR KILLING SISTER IN HARIDWAR
Three members of the same family were awarded the death penalty by an Additional District and Sessions Court in Haridwar (Uttarakhand) on 20 May 2022, for murdering their sister.
MAY 25, 2022IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: SPECIAL CBI COURT AWARDS DEATH PENALTY TO MAIN ACCUSED SURINDER KOLI IN NITHARI CASE
The main accused in the Nithari killings, Surinder Koli, on 19 May 2022 was awarded the death penalty by a special CBI court in Ghaziabad.
MAY 24, 2022IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: UP GANGSTERS SENTENCED TO DEATH IN SENSATIONAL NIA OFFICER, WIFE'S MURDER
A court in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor district on 20 May 2022 sentenced two gangsters to death for murdering an NIA officer and his wife six years ago.
- MAY 12, 2022IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: FOUR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR GANG RAPE, MURDER BY BIHAR COURT
A court in Bihar’s Supaul on 11 May 2022 sentenced to death four persons convicted in a 2019 gang rape and murder case.
- MAY 12, 2022IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: FENIL GOYANI SENTENCED TO DEATH IN GRISHMA VEKARIYA MURDER CASE
The Surat sessions court on 5 May 2022 awarded death sentence to Fenil Goyani (20) for the murder of 21-year-old college student Grishma Vekariya outside her house at Pasodara area of Surat in February.
MAY 5, 2022IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: SUPREME COURT COMMUTES DEATH PENALTY TO 20-YEAR JAIL IN MINOR’S RAPE-MURDER CASE
The Supreme Court on 19 April 2022 commuted the death sentence of a man, who had sexually assaulted and killed a four-year-old girl in Madhya Pradesh in April 2013, to 20-year imprisonment.
MAY 3, 2022IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: 5 SENTENCED TO DEATH, 1 TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR 2015 DOUBLE MURDER
Five people were sentenced to death and one to life imprisonment on 25 April 2022 in the state of Uttar Pradesh, for murdering two persons over a land dispute in Aligarh, in 2015.
MAY 3, 2022IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: BOMBAY HIGH COURT PERMITS 2 CONVICTS ON DEATH ROW TO PURSUE STUDIES WHILE IN PRISON
The Bombay High Court permitted 2 convicts sentenced to death in 2017 for raping and killing a minor girl to pursue their studies through open university while in prison.
APRIL 11, 2022IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: THREE GET DEATH SENTENCE IN ASSAM FOR RAPE AND MURDER OF TWO TRIBAL GIRLS
Three persons were awarded death sentence on 8 April 2022 by a fast-track court in Assam for the rape and murder of two tribal girls last year.
MARCH 23, 2022IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: MAN GETS DEATH PENALTY FOR HONOUR KILLING
A court in Ahmedabad on 15 March 2022 punished one Hardik Chavda (27) with death for killing his pregnant sister and brother-in-law in a case of honour killing in Sanand town in September 2018.