In Brief
A 9-year-old girl was raped by her own father in August 2012. He was convicted under Sections 376, 377, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code and sentenced to life imprisonment with a 20-year minimum before seeking remission. The Supreme Court clarified that while Trial Courts cannot impose such minimum terms, Constitutional Courts (High Courts and Supreme Court) have the power to impose fixed-term life sentences exceeding 14 years in grave cases, even where death penalty is not available. The Court upheld the 20-year minimum incarceration period, finding the case warranted special category sentencing given the heinous nature of the offence and its long-term impact on the victim.
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