Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The practice of plea bargaining, where defendants admit guilt in exchange for reduced sentences, offers a potential solution to alleviate the congestion in India's overwhelmed court system. Although introduced in 2005 through amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and further detailed in the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), this approach remains underutilized. This scholarly article examines India's plea bargaining framework, emphasizing its prospective advantages, current underuse, obstacles, and recent legal developments. Through an examination of judicial precedents, legislative updates, and socio-legal considerations, this study advocates for a revised strategy to enhance the efficacy of plea bargaining as an instrument for reforming the justice system. Keywords: plea bargaining, India, judicial reform, backlog, CrPC, BNSS, legal system, justice efficiency.
Authors: Neha Charak, Savita Nayyar
Institution: University of Jammu
Language: English
Subfield: Economics and Econometrics
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4407974029