Death Penalty Trends in India: Alarming Statistics Revealed

A recent study highlights troubling trends in India's death penalty sentencing, revealing that only a small fraction of sentences are upheld by higher courts. With 574 individuals currently on death row, the report raises concerns about wrongful convictions and the lengthy appeals process. It also discusses the increasing reliance on life imprisonment without remission, calling for regulatory reforms. Despite recommendations for abolition, India remains one of the few countries that still impose the death penalty for ordinary crimes. This article delves into the statistics and implications of these findings, urging a reevaluation of the current judicial practices.

By Narendra Chaudhary Feb 4, 2026, 17:31 IST

Overview of Death Penalty Sentences

A recent analysis conducted by a criminal reform advocacy organization has unveiled that Indian sessions courts issued death sentences to 1,279 individuals from 2016 to 2025. The report indicates that a total of 1,310 death sentences were handed down, suggesting that some individuals received multiple sentences over the years.

Out of these, only 70 sentences were upheld by High Courts, a figure the advocacy group termed as 'staggeringly low'.

By the end of 2025, the number of individuals on death row in India reached 574, marking the highest figure since 2016, when it was 400.

In 2025 alone, sessions courts sentenced 128 individuals to death across 94 cases. Notably, High Courts overturned more than 25% of death sentences, while the Supreme Court acquitted over half of the cases it reviewed.

For the third consecutive year, the Supreme Court did not confirm any death sentences, highlighting concerns regarding the adherence to due process within the judicial system.

The study emphasized that wrongful convictions cannot simply be dismissed as isolated incidents, reflecting systemic issues within the legal framework.

Between 2016 and 2025, the president rejected 19 mercy petitions while approving 5. As of December 31, 312 cases involving 478 individuals were still pending in High Courts, with an average waiting period of 2.99 years from sentencing to hearing.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court exhibited the longest average pendency at 11.53 years, while the Allahabad High Court had the highest number of pending death penalty cases, totaling 91.

The report also raised concerns about the increasing reliance on life imprisonment without the possibility of remission, calling for a regulatory framework to prevent arbitrary applications of this punishment.

Despite a noted decline in the application of the death penalty by higher courts, the report cautioned against viewing life imprisonment as a safer alternative, as it strips individuals of hope.

A 2015 Law Commission report had suggested the abolition of the death penalty, except for terrorism-related offenses, advocating for a move towards complete abolition. However, India remains among the 55 countries that still impose the death penalty for non-terrorism-related crimes, according to Amnesty International's 2023 data.