A large number of murder cases in Uttar Pradesh are being transferred from an Additional District and Sessions Judge after he sentences 22 people to death within four months. NDTV reports the judge’s court has seen death sentences in 10 cases over that period, and that more than 100 murder cases are now shifted away from his docket.
The move follows concerns raised by lawyers and litigants about the likelihood of further capital punishment. According to the District Bar Association president, Pramod Tyagi, lawyers had apprehensions that the court might continue awarding the death penalty in additional cases, prompting pressure for the cases to be moved. The reports describe the transfer as a response to those fears, while also referencing the rapid pace of death sentences issued by the judge. The outlets do not provide further details on the specific legal grounds for the transfer or the locations of the reassigned cases.
