The Law Commission of India (Almost) calls for Abolition

Governance

By Elisa Belotti, on 15 September 2015

The publication of Report No. 262 marked an important shift in the Law Commission’s trend. Based on a wide consultation open to all interested parties, the report details the reasons for this conclusion.

The Commission displayed empirical evidences questioning the deterrent effect of the death penalty. It points out that the Indian justice system is flawed and may conduct to arbitrary sentencing. It also touches upon the Indian death row conditions. Finally, it mentions the fact that the country is going against the worldwide trend towards abolition.

The Commission had no choice but “to take the first step towards abolition of the death penalty for all offences other than terrorism related offences and waging war”.

The World Coalition, together with several member organisations, contributed to the consultation in 2014.

Attached documents

Document(s)

Report No. 262. The Death Penalty

By The Law Commission of India, on 1 January 2015


2015

Government body report


More details See the document

The Law Commission of India examines the status of the death penalty in the country. Even if Report No. 262 still considers appropriate to maintain the death penalty for terrorism related crimes, it marks an historic shift insofar it recommends India to move towards the abolition of the death penalty. The Law Commission thinks that abolitionism does not constitute a risky experiment anymore, since the Indian socio-economic and cultural environment has greatly changed.

  • Document type Government body report
  • Themes list Trend Towards Abolition, Most Serious Crimes, Death Penalty,

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