Dark green cover titled "Death Penalty Sentencing In India's Trial Courts (2018-2020)" with a dotted wavy line design. Logos include NLU Delhi and Project 39A at the bottom, evoking a serious and analytical tone.
AUTHORS
Hrishika Jain
Back
RESEARCH:
2018-2020
|
PUBLISHED
2022

Death Penalty Sentencing in India’s Trial Courts (2018-2020)

Death Penalty
Criminalisation & Punishment

Recognising the inconsistent manner in which capital sentencing takes place after studying a select sample of three states, the study looked at all death sentences across a three year period to facilitate evidence-based conversations about fairness and the constitutionality of capital sentencing in India.

Full Report
Full report
READ MORE
READ LESS

Process

The study is a quantitative study to understand the duration of trials, conduct of sentencing hearings, procedural improprieties, bases of sentencing, outcomes and sentencing in case of sexual violence involving minors. 

  • 306 death sentences imposed by trial courts across 221 cases were analysed as part of the study. 
  • The data analysed for this study was first extracted from High Court websites, scraping news sources, and filing Right to Information applications. The data was then analysed to gain insight into the processes of the trial courts and the sentencing outcomes.

‍

Check other publications

Cover page titled 'Annotated Comparison' of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. Published by Project 39A, National Law University, Delhi. The background is dark with geometric design elements."
Report
All
Criminalisation & Punishment
2024
Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973.
Cover of "Death Penalty in India: Annual Statistics Report 2020." Features muted gray background, bold title at top left, and year 2020 at bottom.
Report
All
Death Penalty
2021
Annual Statistic Reports 2020
Research Team
A dark brown cover titled "Death Penalty in India," with logos at the top right. Bottom text: "Annual Statistics Report 2018" in yellow and white.
Report
All
Death Penalty
2019
Annual Statistic Reports 2018
Cover of the "Death Penalty in India: Annual Statistics Report 2025 & 10 Years of Death Penalty Data (2016–2025)," featuring large "2025" typography on a purple background with The Square Circle Clinic and NALSAR University of Law logos.
Report
All
Death Penalty
2025
Death Penalty in India: Annual Statistics 2025
Research Team
The cover image features 3D rectangular blocks labeled "Death Penalty in India," "Annual Statistics," and "2017" on a blue background, suggesting a report theme.
Report
All
Death Penalty
2018
Annual Statistic Reports 2017
Research Team