An Additional District and Sessions Judge in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district has imposed capital punishment on 22 individuals across 10 cases within a span of four months. The rulings were delivered at Fast Track Court No. 3 between April and August. This pace stands out against the 28 death sentences recorded across all trial courts in the state for the entire previous year, according to data from the Square Circle Clinic at NALSAR University of Law. The cases involved murders of a lawyer, a home guard, a farmer, and a highway robbery incident. The frequency has renewed debate on the application of the rarest of rare principle for capital punishment. The judge, appointed in 2009, previously served in multiple districts and gained attention for earlier orders on a religious site survey and comments on state leadership that were later removed by a higher court. All death sentences require confirmation by the Allahabad High Court before any execution can occur.
