Supreme Court Acquittals Highlight Concerns Over Wrongful Death Penalty Convictions
A report reveals that the Supreme Court of India has not confirmed a single death penalty in the past three years (2023-2025). In 2025, the top court acquitted 10 death row prisoners, the highest in a decade. While lower courts (Sessions Courts) handed down 1,310 death sentences over the last ten years, the high rate of acquittals at the appellate level raises serious concerns about wrongful convictions and procedural violations during sentencing. The report also notes a growing trend of using life imprisonment without remission as an alternative to the death penalty.
Key Points
- The Supreme Court has not confirmed any death sentences in the last three years.
- Sessions courts sentenced 128 individuals to death in 2025 alone, showing a gap between trial and appellate courts.
- High acquittal rates suggest errors in lower court judgments and a lack of proper psychological evaluations during sentencing.
- India had 574 prisoners on death row as of December 31, 2025, the highest since 2016.
Exam Facts
- 1,310 death sentences by Sessions Courts in the last decade
- 574 prisoners on death row as of Dec 31, 2025
- Manoj vs State of Madhya Pradesh (SC guidelines on sentencing)
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