Archive · 22 Jan 2026
India considers replacing hanging with painless death penalty method
The Indian government is thinking about changing how they punish people with the death penalty.
Right now, they use hanging, but some people think that's too cruel.
A lawyer named Rishi Malhotra asked the Supreme Court to consider using a different method, like lethal injection, which is used in other countries.
The government said they are looking into it.
The court asked everyone to write more about their ideas and will decide later.
Some people think lethal injection is better, while others think it's not very successful.
The court will make a decision after reading everyone's ideas.
The Central government is examining whether to replace hanging with a painless method of execution.
Advocate Rishi Malhotra filed a plea in 2017 challenging the constitutionality of hanging as a method of execution.
The Supreme Court reserved its order and directed all parties to submit written briefs within two weeks.
The government is considering forming a committee to examine the impact of lethal injection as an alternative.
Countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan, Japan, and others still use hanging as a legal method of execution.
- Who
- The Central government of India and advocate Rishi Malhotra
- What
- The government is considering replacing hanging with a painless method of execution
- When
- The hearing took place on Thursday, with the court reserving its order
- Where
- The Supreme Court of India
- Why
- To address the constitutionality of hanging as a method of execution and consider more humane alternatives
- Petitioner
- Advocate Rishi Malhotra
- Year of Petition
- 2017
- Challenged Section
- Section 354(5) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC)
- Government's Stance
- Examining the issue at the highest level
- Court's Action
- Reserved its order, directed written briefs within two weeks
- Proposed Alternative
- Lethal injection
- Countries Still Using Hanging
- Bangladesh, Pakistan, Japan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Korea, Yemen, Egypt, Botswana, and several Caribbean and Middle Eastern nations