Chandigarh Conviction Rate Stays Below 50% For Second Straight Year, NCRB Data Shows

Courts in Chandigarh recorded more acquittals than convictions in IPC and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) cases during 2024, with 985 persons acquitted compared to 717 convicted, according to the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report. The data places the city’s conviction rate at 41.98 per cent, keeping it below the 50 per cent threshold despite a marginal improvement over the previous year.

As per the NCRB’s “Crime in India 2024” report, a total of 1,708 cases were disposed of during the year. Of these, 717 ended in conviction, 985 resulted in acquittal, and six cases led to discharge. The conviction rate shows a slight rise from 41.57 percent recorded in 2023, indicating only minimal change in judicial outcomes over the two-year period.

The report also highlights that Chandigarh Police arrested 1,977 individuals in IPC/BNS-related offenses during 2024, a decline from 2,209 arrests in 2023. Among those arrested, 1,890 were men, 87 were women, and no transgender persons were recorded. A significant proportion of arrests involved younger individuals, with over 61 percent belonging to the 18–30 age group.

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Age-wise data shows that 1,209 individuals arrested fell in the 18–30 bracket, followed by 552 in the 30–45 group, 113 in the 45–60 category, and only five persons above 60 years. Juvenile apprehensions also declined sharply, with 98 juveniles recorded in 2024 compared to 177 in 2023, indicating a notable reduction in minors involved in reported offenses.

The NCRB further stated that 1,683 persons were charge-sheeted in 2024, down from 2,366 in the previous year. Among those convicted, 698 were men and 19 were women, while acquittals included 923 men and 62 women. Officials noted that although absolute numbers of arrests, charge-sheets, convictions, and acquittals declined, the conviction rate remained largely unchanged.

Legal experts have pointed to the persistent gap between convictions and acquittals as an area of concern. Practitioners at Chandigarh district courts suggested that recurring acquittals may reflect challenges in investigation quality, evidence collection, and prosecution effectiveness. Historical NCRB data shows Chandigarh’s conviction rate has fluctuated significantly over the years, peaking above 60 percent in 2021 and falling to around 38.8 percent in 2017, before stabilizing near the 42 percent mark in recent years.

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