{"id":65920,"date":"2026-02-04T18:13:05","date_gmt":"2026-02-04T12:43:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/?p=65920"},"modified":"2026-02-04T18:17:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-04T12:47:08","slug":"death-penalty-in-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/04-02-2026\/death-penalty-in-india","title":{"rendered":"Death Penalty in India"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Syllabus: GS2\/Polity; Judiciary<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Context<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>According to <strong>an annual report on capital punishment <\/strong>published by Square Circle Clinic at NALSAR University of Law, the <strong>Supreme Court of India<\/strong> has not <strong>confirmed a single death sentence<\/strong> in the past three years, reflecting a highly restrictive approach toward capital punishment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Findings of the Report<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Lower Courts Continue to Impose Death Sentences: <\/strong>Sessions Courts imposed 1,310 death sentences between 2016 and 2025, including 128 sentences in 2025 alone, despite growing skepticism at higher judicial levels.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Low Confirmation Rates in High Courts:<\/strong> Of the 1,310 death sentences, 842 cases reached the High Courts. Only 70 sentences (just 8.31%) were confirmed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Supreme Court Overturns Confirmed Sentences:<\/strong> Even where High Courts confirmed death sentences, the Supreme Court has not upheld a single one in the past three years.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Of 37 such cases decided, most ended in acquittal or commutation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Record Acquittals in 2025:<\/strong> In 2025, the Supreme Court acquitted 10 death row prisoners, the highest number of such acquittals in a decade.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Large Death Row Population:<\/strong> India had 574 prisoners on death row,<strong> including 24 women<\/strong> <em>(as of December 31, 2025).<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prolonged Time On Death Row:<\/strong> Prisoners spent an average of over five years on death row before acquittal, with some waiting nearly ten years for exoneration.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Widespread Procedural Violations:<\/strong> Nearly 95% of death sentences in 2025 were imposed without following mandatory Supreme Court guidelines on mitigation and sentencing procedures.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Shift Toward Alternatives:<\/strong> Courts are increasingly opting for life imprisonment without remission as an alternative to the death penalty.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"c4c0bb\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"595\" height=\"512\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-23.png\" alt=\"death penalty in india\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-65922\" style=\"--dominant-color: #c4c0bb; aspect-ratio:1.1621448408459731;width:332px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-23.png 595w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-23-300x258.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 595px) 100vw, 595px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What is Capital Punishment?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is the <strong>most severe form of criminal punishment<\/strong>, commonly known as the <strong>death penalty<\/strong>, in which the <strong>State legally executes<\/strong> a person convicted of the gravest offences.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>In India,<\/strong> capital punishment is permitted only in the <strong>\u2018rarest of rare cases\u2019<\/strong>, a <strong>doctrine evolved by the Supreme Court<\/strong> to ensure that death sentences are imposed only when life imprisonment is deemed wholly inadequate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Legal Basis in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Capital punishment is constitutionally valid under <strong>Article 21<\/strong> (Right to Life and Personal Liberty), provided it is imposed through a <strong>fair, just and reasonable procedure<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It is prescribed for certain offences under laws such as the <strong>Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)<\/strong>, <strong>Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA)<\/strong>, and other special statutes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Execution is carried out <strong>only after exhaustion of all judicial remedies<\/strong> and the decision on a <strong>mercy petition<\/strong> by the President or Governor.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Role of Lower Courts (Sessions Courts) in Capital Punishment Cases<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Primary Trial &amp; Sentencing Authority: <\/strong>Sessions Courts conduct the <strong>trial<\/strong> for serious offences punishable with death. They examine evidence, hear witnesses, and determine <strong>guilt or innocence<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sentencing Function: <\/strong>If the accused is convicted, the Sessions Court conducts a <strong>separate sentencing hearing<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The court must weigh <strong>aggravating circumstances<\/strong> (nature of crime) against <strong>mitigating circumstances<\/strong> (background, mental health, possibility of reform).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Under <strong>Supreme Court guidelines (2022),<\/strong> the court must consider psychological evaluation, probation officer\u2019s report, and prison conduct and social background.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Reference to High Court: <\/strong>A death sentence passed by a Sessions Court <strong>does not take effect automatically<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It must be <strong>confirmed by the High Court<\/strong> under the <strong>Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS).<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>High Courts act as the <strong>first appellate safeguard<\/strong>. Every death sentence must be <strong>confirmed, commuted, or set aside<\/strong> by the High Court.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>High Courts reassess <strong>facts, evidence, and law<\/strong>, not merely procedural correctness. They also examine whether the <strong>\u2018rarest of rare\u2019 test<\/strong> has been correctly applied.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Role of the Supreme Court of India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Final Judicial Authority: <\/strong>The Supreme Court is the <strong>ultimate appellate court<\/strong> in death penalty cases.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Appeals reach the Court through <strong>Special Leave Petitions (SLPs)<\/strong> or criminal appeals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Constitutional and Due Process Oversight: <\/strong>The Court ensures compliance with <strong>Articles 14 and 21, <\/strong>fair investigation and trial, and proper sentencing hearings and consideration of mitigation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Sentencing Jurisprudence: <\/strong>The Supreme Court has shaped death penalty law by developing the <strong>\u2018rarest of rare\u2019 doctrine, <\/strong>mandating <strong>individualised sentencing, <\/strong>and requiring strict procedural safeguards.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Review and Curative Jurisdiction: <\/strong>Even after dismissal of appeals, the Court can hear <strong>review petitions, and curative petitions<\/strong> (in exceptional cases).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mercy Petition Interface: <\/strong>The Court may review delays, arbitrariness, or procedural violations in <strong>mercy petition decisions<\/strong>, after judicial remedies are exhausted.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Role of the Governor and the President in Capital Punishment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>President of India (Article 72): <\/strong>The <strong>President<\/strong> has the power to grant <strong>pardon, reprieve, respite, remission, and commutation of sentence.<\/strong> It applies in cases where:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>punishment is a <strong>death sentence;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>offence is under <strong>Union law;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>sentence is by a <strong>court-martial;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Governor of a State (Article 161): <\/strong>The <strong>Governor<\/strong> has similar powers for offences under <strong>State law<\/strong>, except, it <strong>cannot pardon<\/strong> a death sentence, but <strong>can commute<\/strong> it to life imprisonment or a lesser sentence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Issues and Challenges in Capital Punishment in India<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>High Rate of Erroneous Convictions: <\/strong>A large proportion of death sentences imposed by trial courts are <strong>overturned by High Courts and the Supreme Court<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It indicates <strong>systemic flaws in investigation, prosecution, and trial-level adjudication<\/strong>, especially in cases involving poor and marginalised accused.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Inadequate Sentencing Hearings and Mitigation: <\/strong>Trial courts frequently conduct <strong>rushed or perfunctory sentencing hearings<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mitigating factors such as mental illness, socio-economic background, and possibility of reform are often ignored or insufficiently examined.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Non-Compliance with Due Process Safeguards: <\/strong>Despite Supreme Court guidelines (2022), trial courts regularly fail to obtain psychological evaluation reports, probation officer reports, and prison conduct records.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It weakens the fairness of sentencing and increases the risk of wrongful punishment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Socio-Economic and Caste Bias: <\/strong>Death row prisoners disproportionately belong to <strong>economically weaker and socially marginalised groups<\/strong>.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Lack of effective legal representation at the trial stage worsens outcomes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prolonged Delays and Mental Trauma: <\/strong>Long delays between conviction, appeal, and execution result in <strong>severe psychological suffering<\/strong>, often referred to as \u2018death row phenomenon\u2019.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Delays in deciding mercy petitions aggravate this problem.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-dominant-color=\"c3cccc\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"559\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-24.png\" alt=\"capital punishment\" class=\"not-transparent wp-image-65923\" style=\"--dominant-color: #c3cccc; aspect-ratio:1.8318737860769414;width:328px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-24.png 1024w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-24-300x164.png 300w, https:\/\/wp-images.nextias.com\/cdn-cgi\/image\/format=auto\/ca\/uploads\/2026\/02\/image-24-768x419.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/ccidist-ws\/th\/th_delhi\/issues\/169362\/OPS\/G8PFHM27S.1.png?rev=2026-02-04T00:42:01+05:30&amp;cropFromPage=true\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source: TH<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong> Context <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> According to an annual report on capital punishment published by Square Circle Clinic at NALSAR University of Law, the Supreme Court of India has not confirmed a single death sentence in the past three years, reflecting a highly restrictive approach toward capital punishment. <\/li>\n<p><\/p>\n<p><strong> Key Findings of the Report <\/strong><\/p>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> Lower Courts Continue to Impose Death Sentences: Sessions Courts imposed 1,310 death sentences between 2016 and 2025, including 128 sentences in 2025 alone, despite growing skepticism at higher judicial levels. <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> Low Confirmation Rates in High Courts: Of the 1,310 death sentences, 842 cases reached the High Courts. Only 70 sentences (just 8.31%) were confirmed. <\/li>\n<li class=\"ms-5\"> Supreme Court Overturns Confirmed Sentences: Even where High Courts confirmed death sentences, the Supreme Court has not upheld a single one in the past three years. <\/li>\n<p><a href=\" https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/current-affairs\/04-02-2026\/death-penalty-in-india \" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-sm float-end\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-65920","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-affairs"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65920","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65920"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65920\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":65927,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65920\/revisions\/65927"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65920"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65920"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nextias.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65920"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}