Death sentence for only poor?

New Delhi: The under privileged always suffer, a myth that is actually getting true.  

A study conducted by India’s premier law institution, National Law University with the help of the Law Commission has revealed that 75% of those sentenced to death in the country belong to economically weaker sections.

The study has further found that three fourths of those given death penalty hail from religious minorities and backward classes.

According to study, one of the major reasons behind the same is the inability to find a competent lawyer to contest the conviction of an accused.

A final report based on the study is likely to be submitted to the Supreme Court by August.

No prisoner has been sentenced to death in states like Himachal Pradesh and Sikkim. Interestingly, of the seven sisters of the north eastern part of the country, no death penalty has been awarded in six states, the study added.

While Assam has witnessed instance of death penalty, none was ever awarded in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.