Editing Plea bargain (section)

===India===
Plea bargaining was introduced in India by ''The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2005'', which amended the [[Criminal Procedure Code of India|Code of Criminal Procedure]] and introduced a new chapter, XXI(A), in the code, enforceable from July 5, 2006.<ref name="Act 2 of 2006">{{cite web|title=The Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2005|url=https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1732853/|website=India Kanoon|access-date=28 June 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171109022349/https://indiankanoon.org/doc/1732853/|archive-date=9 November 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Plea bargaining comes into effect|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/plea-bargaining-comes-into-effect/article3101111.ece|access-date=28 June 2017|agency=The Hindu|date=6 July 2006|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171109022320/http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/plea-bargaining-comes-into-effect/article3101111.ece|archive-date=9 November 2017}}</ref> It allows plea bargaining for cases in which the maximum punishment is imprisonment for seven years or less; however, offenses affecting the socio-economic condition of the country and offenses committed against a woman or a child below 14 are excluded.<ref name="Act 2 of 2006"/>

In 2007, the Sakharam Bandekar case became the first such case in India where the accused, Sakharam Bandekar, requested lesser punishment in return for confessing to his crime (using plea bargaining). However, the court rejected his plea and accepted the [[Central Bureau of Investigation|CBI]]'s argument that the accused was facing serious charges of corruption.<ref>{{cite news|title=First plea bargaining case in city|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/First-plea-bargaining-case-in-city/articleshow/2458523.cms?referral=PM|access-date=28 June 2017|newspaper=Times of India|date=15 October 2007|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019182743/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/First-plea-bargaining-case-in-city/articleshow/2458523.cms?referral=PM|archive-date=19 October 2017}}</ref> Finally, the court [[convicted]] Bandekar and sentenced him to three years' imprisonment.<ref>{{cite news|title=RBI clerk sent to 3 yrs in jail|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/RBI-clerk-sent-to-3-yrs-in-jail/articleshow/2461828.cms?referral=PM|access-date=28 June 2017|newspaper=Times of India|date=16 October 2007|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019182751/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/RBI-clerk-sent-to-3-yrs-in-jail/articleshow/2461828.cms?referral=PM|archive-date=19 October 2017}}</ref>

In December 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) was passed, to replace Code of Criminal Procedure by July 2024, which allows first time offender to be given relaxed punishment (one-fourth and one-sixth of such punishment) in plea bargaining.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-21 |title=Lok Sabha passes three criminal law Bills: Here are the key changes |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/criminal-law-bills-bharatiya-nyaya-sanhita-key-changes-highlights-9077165/ |access-date=2024-06-16 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref>