India
Death penalty and prisoners' rights · Archive since 1999
Data card
- Legal status
- Retentionist
- Executions recorded in 2026
- 0
- Executions recorded in 2025
- 0
- First news item in the archive
- JANUARY 1, 1999 · The Indian legislative system also provides for different...
- News items in the archive
- 1,862
Source: Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026.
India is classified as Retentionist in the Hands Off Cain database, updated to 2026. In 2026 the association recorded 0 executions in the country, against 0 the year before. The archive holds 1,862 news items on India, from 1999 to today.
In India the death penalty applies to murder, terrorism and certain serious sexual offences, and the method is hanging. Case law restricts it to the cases it calls the rarest of the rare: many sentences are handed down, few executions are actually carried out, and a significant share of sentences is overturned or commuted on appeal.
The archive follows sentences, commutations, executions and legislative debates.
Latest news
FEBRUARY 6, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: FIFTH BIHAR RAPIST, MURDERER GETS DEATH
A man who raped and murdered a minor girl four years ago was sentenced to death
FEBRUARY 5, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: SUPREME COURT GIVES DEATH SENTENCE TO MAN WHO KIDNAPPED, KILLED TAMIL NADU BOY
The Supreme Court on India decided on the death sentence for a man convicted of
FEBRUARY 5, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR 32-YR-OLD FOR RAPING, KILLING MINOR
A lower court in Mandla, India, awarded death sentence to a 32-year-old man for raping and
FEBRUARY 3, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: PRESIDENT MUKHERJEE APPROVES DEATH PENALTY IN SOME RAPE CASES
President of India Pranab Mukherjee gave his assent to the anti-rape law ordinance after cabinet ministers recommended changes to impose harsher punishments for rapists, including the death penalty.
JANUARY 31, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: 43-YEAR-OLD SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR RAPING, MURDERING MINOR
A local court in Badaun, India, pronounced death sentence to a man in a year-old rape
- JANUARY 29, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTY
the Indian Supreme Court has commuted death penalty of a man
the Indian Supreme Court has commuted death penalty of a man
- JANUARY 28, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: SUPREME COURT COMMUTES DEATH TO LIFE TO FATHER WHO RAPED DAUGHTER AND KILLED HER AND HIS WIFE
JANUARY 24, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: DALAI LAMA SAYS DELHI GANG RAPISTS SHOULD NOT BE EXECUTED, DEATH PENALTY NOT THE ANSWER
One of the world's most respected spiritual leaders has asked that mercy be shown in
- JANUARY 15, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTY
a 60-year-old farmhouse guard was awarded death penalty
a 60-year-old farmhouse guard was awarded death penalty
JANUARY 11, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: LAW MINISTER AGAINST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Notwithstanding the growing clamour for death penalty to the Delhi rape-and-murder case
JANUARY 10, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: DEATH SENTENCE FOR RAPIST, MURDERER OF TEENAGED GIRL
A court in Rajasthan's Sriganganagar town, India, sentenced to death a man for raping
- JANUARY 7, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTY
two persons were sentenced to death and two others given life term
two persons were sentenced to death and two others given life term
JANUARY 6, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: SC COMMUTES DEATH PENALTY FOR MAN SAYING ''HIS CONDUCT IN JAIL WAS NOT SHOWN TO BE UNWORTHY OF CONCESSION.''
the Supreme Court in Mumbai, India, commuted a death sentence to life for a 23-year-old man who killed a 65-year-old woman and raped her pregnant 25-year-old granddaughter-in-law in an upscale Pune neighbourhood in September 2007.
- JANUARY 4, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: PRESIDENT REJECTS MERCY PLEA OF MAN WHO KILLED WIFE, DAUGHTER
President Pranab Mukherjee rejected the mercy petition of murder convict Saibanna Ningappa
JANUARY 4, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: SENTENCED TO DEATH, PAK NATIONAL WINS BLAST CASE ON RE-TRIAL
A Pakistani national, convicted and sentenced to death in India eight years back in connection with
- JANUARY 3, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTY
KERALA (INDIA): MINOR'S RAPIST, MURDER GETS DEATH PENALTY
In India, a court in Thiruvananthapuram sent an autorickshaw driver to the
- JANUARY 1, 2013IndiaDEATH PENALTY
The death penalty is provided for by the Penal Code and by Art. 21 of the Constitution
The death penalty is provided for by the Penal Code and by Art. 21 of the Constitution
- DECEMBER 24, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTY
a special court in Bareilly, India, awarded death sentence to a man
a special court in Bareilly, India, awarded death sentence to a man
- DECEMBER 24, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTY
domestic help Surendra Koli was given the death penalty...
domestic help Surendra Koli was given the death penalty...
- DECEMBER 19, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTY
a death sentence was pronounced for the first time in the court history of Ladakh region
a death sentence was pronounced for the first time in the court history of Ladakh region
- DECEMBER 18, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTY
a woman is among three people given death sentence for killing her daughter
a woman is among three people given death sentence for killing her daughter
DECEMBER 17, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTYGOA (INDIA): HC REDUCES DEATH PENALTY TO LIFE TERM
The High Court of Bombay at Goa reduced the death sentence awarded to a man by a lower
- DECEMBER 14, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTY
the Supreme Court, in India, has commuted the death sentence
the Supreme Court, in India, has commuted the death sentence
DECEMBER 13, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTYINDIA: 477 PEOPLE ON DEATH ROW
There are 477 convicts on death row in India, the government says.
- DECEMBER 5, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTY
a court in Manawar town in Dhar district awarded capital punishment
a court in Manawar town in Dhar district awarded capital punishment
- DECEMBER 5, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: TWO GET DEATH PENALTY FOR KILLING FOUR FAMILY MEMBERS
A court in Madhya Pradesh, India, awarded death penalty to two people for killing
- DECEMBER 4, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTY
in India, the Principal District and Session Judge...
in India, the Principal District and Session Judge...
- DECEMBER 4, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: PRESIDENT COMMUTES SENTENCE OF DEATH ROW CONVICT
In a first case of pardon by President Pranab Mukherjee after assuming office, death sentence
- NOVEMBER 28, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTY
the Delhi High Court, India, reduced the death penalty...
the Delhi High Court, India, reduced the death penalty...
- NOVEMBER 22, 2012IndiaDEATH PENALTY
INDIA: COURT ACQUITS TWO IN 1996 DELHI BLAST
Slamming the lax probe, the Delhi High Court acquitted two convicts given death penalty in