LANDMARK CASE
Bachan Singh v. State of Punjab
(1980) 2 SCC 684 · Supreme Court of India · Criminal law
At a glance
- Citation: (1980) 2 SCC 684
- Court: Supreme Court of India
- Area of law: Criminal law
- In one line: The death penalty was upheld, but only in the 'rarest of rare' cases when the alternative of life imprisonment is unquestionably foreclosed.
1 Facts
The constitutional validity of the death penalty for murder was challenged.
2 Issue
Is the death penalty for murder constitutional, and when may it be imposed?
3 What the court decided
The death penalty was upheld, but only in the 'rarest of rare' cases when the alternative of life imprisonment is unquestionably foreclosed.
4 Why it matters
It is the governing test for death sentences in India.
5 Think about it
What makes the 'rarest of rare' test hard to apply consistently?
6 Analyse it yourself
Read the full judgment from an official source or a law database, then brief it in seven steps: facts, issues, arguments, decision, ratio, obiter and significance. Always check the citation before you rely on it.
7 More cases on Criminal law
- Abhayanand Mishra v. State of Bihar AIR 1961 SC 1698
- Amish Devgan v. Union of India (2021) 1 SCC 1
- Balwant Singh v. State of Punjab (1995) 3 SCC 214
- Barendra Kumar Ghosh v. Emperor AIR 1925 PC 1
- Basdev v. State of PEPSU AIR 1956 SC 488
- Bodhisattwa Gautam v. Subhra Chakraborty (1996) 1 SCC 490
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A short teaching summary for students. Educational content only, not legal advice.