2023 saw the most prisoners on death row in nearly 2 decades

Death Penalty in India: Annual Statistics Report

• This annual report, published by Project 39A, presents changes in the death row population as well as political and legal developments in the administration of the death penalty in India each year.

• The statistics are compiled through a combination of data mining of court websites, media monitoring and Right to Information applications.

• [Project 39A is a criminal justice research and legal aid program at the National Law University in Delhi, and is inspired by Article 39-A of the Indian Constitution, which promotes equal justice and equal opportunity by removing economic and social barriers]

• Key Highlights of the 2023 Report (8th Edition)

• This year marked the highest number of prisoners sent to death row in nearly 20 years, with 561 prisoners and there has been a 45.71% increase in the population of inmates sent to death row since 2015.

• Only one death sentence was confirmed in 2023, making it the year with the lowest rate of death sentence confirmations by the appellate courts since 2000.

• In 2023, trial courts across the country imposed 120 death sentences with the highest number of sentences from Uttar Pradesh (33) followed by 12 in Jharkhand and 11 each in Gujarat, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.

• The report highlighted that the Supreme Court did not confirm any death sentences in 2023 while deciding 10 cases involving 11 prisoners and acquitted 6 prisoners who were on death row, criticizing the quality of evidence and police investigation.