A study conducted by the National Law University with the help of the Law Commission has found that 75% of those sentenced to death in the country belong to economically weaker sections.
The study has further revealed that three fourths of those given death penalty hail from religious minorities and backward classes.
One of the major reasons cited by the study 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.
According to the website of the body, 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.
While Assam has witnessed instance of death penalty, none was ever awarded in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.
The Death Penalty Research Project was conceptualised in May 2013 and is based on interviews and surveys conducted across the country.
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