COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT INDIA 12 MAY 2009 UK Border Agency COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION SERVICE INDIA 12 MAY 2009 Contents Preface Latest News EVENTS IN INDIA FROM 17 MARCH 2009 – 12 MAY 2009 REPORTS ON INDIA PUBLISHED OR ACCESSED BETWEEN 17 MARCH 2009 AND 12 MAY 2009 Paragraphs Background Information 1. GEOGRAPHY ......................................................................................... 1.01 Map ................................................................................................ 1.07 2. ECONOMY ............................................................................................. 2.01 3. HISTORY ............................................................................................... 3.01 4. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS....................................................................... 4.01 Elections ....................................................................................... 4.04 Mumbai terrorist attacks – November 2008 ............................... 4.08 5. CONSTITUTION ...................................................................................... 5.01 6. POLITICAL SYSTEM................................................................................ 6.01 Human Rights 7. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 7.01 UN Conventions ........................................................................... 7.05 8. SECURITY SITUATION ............................................................................ 8.01 9. SECURITY FORCES ................................................................................ 9.01 Police............................................................................................. 9.01 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)....................................... 9.03 Arbitrary Arrest and Detention ................................................... 9.05 Torture ....................................................................................... 9.07 Extra-Judicial Killings................................................................. 9.13 Impunity ..................................................................................... 9.15 Armed Forces ............................................................................... 9.17 Arbitrary Arrest and Detention ................................................... 9.20 Torture ....................................................................................... 9.23 Extra-Judicial Killings................................................................. 9.24 Other Government Forces........................................................... 9.27 Paramilitary forces ..................................................................... 9.27 Avenues of Complaint ................................................................. 9.29 National Human Rights Commission ......................................... 9.29 10. MILITARY SERVICE .............................................................................. 10.01 11. ABUSES BY NON-GOVERNMENT ARMED FORCES ................................. 11.01 Torture........................................................................................... 11.05 12. JUDICIARY........................................................................................... 12.01 Organisation ................................................................................. 12.01 Supreme Court .......................................................................... 12.02 High Court.................................................................................. 12.03 Fast Track Courts ...................................................................... 12.05 Lok Adalats ................................................................................ 12.07 Independence ............................................................................... 12.08 ii The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 17 March 2009. Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section to 12 May 2009. INDIA 12 MAY 2009 Fair Trial ........................................................................................ 12.09 Provision of legal aid.................................................................. 12.15 Penal Code.................................................................................... 12.16 Code of Criminal Procedure........................................................ 12.19 13. ARREST AND DETENTION – LEGAL RIGHTS .......................................... 13.01 Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) ............................. 13.04 National Security Act ................................................................. 13.06 Prevention of Terrorism/Unlawful Activities Prevention Acts ..... 13.07 JAMMU AND KASHMIR ...................................................................... 13.08 AFSPA ....................................................................................... 13.08 Public Safety Act........................................................................ 13.09 14. PRISON CONDITIONS ........................................................................... 14.01 15. DEATH PENALTY ................................................................................. 15.01 16. POLITICAL AFFILIATION ....................................................................... 16.01 Freedom of Political Expression................................................. 16.01 Freedom of Association and Assembly ..................................... 16.02 Opposition Groups and Political Activists................................. 16.04 Armed Opposition Groups .......................................................... 16.05 Jammu and Kashmir.................................................................. 16.05 Naxalites (Maoists)/Tribal Groups ............................................. 16.06 17. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND MEDIA........................................................ 17.01 TREATMENT OF JOURNALISTS .......................................................... 17.08 18. HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS, ORGANISATIONS AND ACTIVISTS........... 18.01 19. CORRUPTION....................................................................................... 19.01 20. FREEDOM OF RELIGION ....................................................................... 20.01 Introduction .................................................................................. 20.01 Inter-religious marriages ............................................................. 20.08 Religious tension ......................................................................... 20.10 Religious conversions ................................................................. 20.16 Muslims ......................................................................................... 20.22 Gujarat Riots 2002..................................................................... 20.27 Christians...................................................................................... 20.31 Other religious groups................................................................. 20.37 Sikhs and the Punjab ................................................................... 20.38 Sikh religion and historical background ..................................... 20.38 Militant violence in Punjab ......................................................... 20.44 Human rights concerns in Punjab.............................................. 20.47 Prosecution of security force personnel..................................... 20.48 Punjab State Human Rights Commission.................................. 20.52 Internal relocation for Sikhs ....................................................... 20.53 21. ETHNIC GROUPS ................................................................................. 21.01 Dalits.............................................................................................. 21.05 22. LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER PERSONS ..................... 22.01 Legal rights ................................................................................... 22.01 Societal and Government attitudes ............................................ 22.02 Lesbians........................................................................................ 22.09 Transsexual/transgender groups................................................ 22.10 Groups in support of the LGBT community .............................. 22.12 23. DISABILITY .......................................................................................... 23.01 24. WOMEN............................................................................................... 24.01 Overview ....................................................................................... 24.01 Socio-economic indicators ......................................................... 24.09 Legal Rights.................................................................................. 24.11 Political Rights ............................................................................. 24.13 Women in politics....................................................................... 24.13 The main text of this COI Report contains the most up to date publicly available information as at 17 March 2009. iii Further brief information on recent events and reports has been provided in the Latest News section to 12