Annual Statistic Reports 2020
The objective of the 2020 report is to present a comprehensive and empirically grounded account of the use of the death penalty in India during the year. It aims to track the number of death sentences imposed by trial courts, examine how these cases progress through High Courts and the Supreme Court, and analyse trends in offences, sentencing patterns, and legal developments. The report also seeks to understand how external factors, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic and evolving public and legislative attitudes, have influenced the administration of capital punishment in India.
Process
The report follows a consistent multi-source data collection approach refined over several years. It primarily tracks death sentences through English and Hindi online news reports, which are then verified against judgments available on High Court and district court websites. High Court records are treated as the most reliable source since all death sentences must be confirmed at that level under law. Additionally, Right to Information (RTI) applications are used as a secondary verification tool where necessary. In 2020, the researchers also developed a consolidated database covering death sentences since 2016 to improve classification consistency and analysis. Despite challenges such as delays in RTI responses and lack of coordination among official sources, the dataset is considered fairly comprehensive.
