Our publication covers movements in the death row population in India as well as political and legal developments in the administration of the death penalty and the criminal justice system. The statistics are compiled through a combination of processes such as data mining of court websites, media monitoring and Right to Information applications.
CLICK HERE TO ACCESS THE FULL REPORT [2021].
You can access the previous reports as well [2020] [2019] [2018] [2017] [2016].
Project 39A at the National Law University, Delhi published the sixth edition of the Death Penalty in India: Annual Statistics Report which provides an annual update on the use of the death penalty in India along with legislative and international developments on the issue. As on 31st December 2021, there were 488 prisoners on death row across India (a steep rise of nearly 21% from 2020), with Uttar Pradesh having the highest number at 86. This is the highest the death row population has been since 2004 as per the data from the Prison Statistics published by the National Crime Records Bureau.
Total number of Prisoners on Death Row as on 31st December 2021
Total number of Prisoners on Death Row as on 31st December 2020
78
144
In 2021, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh, introduced the death penalty for causing deaths by spurious liquor, while Maharashtra did so for ‘heinous’ offences of rape and gangrape. The Women & Child Development Ministry also introduced a bill proposing the capital punishment for repeat aggravated trafficking offences involving children and women.