Amnesty Intl reignites death penalty debate in India

According to Sharma, the poor and the illiterate convicts are usually handed the death penalty while most rich or politically influential convicts escape the gallows.

"Most death sentences handed down in India are based on circumstantial evidence and a lot depends on how rich is the under-trial," he said.

Discrepancy in judicial decisions, the Amnesty chief said, is highlighted by the fact that in 86 cases researched by the group, three different courts had passed three different verdicts.

"At the end of the day, life and death in India for the poorer convicts on death row is a like a lottery," Sharma said.

"Death penalty violates the right to life and does not have any place in the modern justice system," he added.

"While the death penalty continues to be used in India, there remains a danger that it will be used disproportionately against ethnic minorities, the poor or other disadvantaged groups. There is only one way to ensure such inequalities in the administration of justice do not occur: the complete abolition of the death penalty," said Dr. V. Suresh, president, People's Union for Civil Liberties, co-author of the report.