Death sentences in India: fewer confirmations, higher acquittals, Pg7

Key Highlights:

• As of December 31, 2025, India had 574 prisoners on death row, a 43.5% increase since 2016.
• 45% of death row inmates were convicted of murder, and 37% for murder involving sexual offenses.
• High Courts confirmed only 8.31% of the 1,310 death sentences imposed by Sessions Courts in the last decade.
• The Supreme Court has not confirmed any death sentence in the last three years, acquitting 10 prisoners in 2025.

Detailed Insights:

• The Annual Death Penalty Statistics Report suggests increased judicial hesitance in confirming death sentences due to concerns about evidence handling and procedural fairness.
• High Courts acquitted 34.65% of individuals sentenced to death over the past decade, with the Patna High Court recording the highest acquittal rate at 78.31%.
• The rise in acquittals and non-confirmations by higher courts highlights potential issues in the investigation and trial processes at the Sessions Court level.
• The Supreme Court's recent acquittals indicate a stricter scrutiny of death penalty cases, emphasizing the need for a fair trial and reliable evidence.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Death Row: A section in prison for inmates awaiting execution.
• Acquittal: A judgment that a person is not guilty of the crime they were accused of.
• Sessions Court: A district-level court in India that handles criminal cases.