Replication Data for: Do Politicians in Power Receive Special Treatment in Courts? Evidence from India

Do politicians in power receive special treatment in courts? I study judicial discrimination in the world’s largest democracy, India, by analyzing whether pending criminal cases against politicians who marginally win their election are more likely to be closed without a conviction than cases against politicians who marginally lose their elections. I find that winning office increases the chances of a favorable outcome only for politicians from the ruling party. Evidence suggests two main explanations for this result: 1. members of the legislative assemblies aligned with the ruling party misuse executive powers to manipulate prosecutors and police officers, and 2. witnesses turn hostile in high-profile criminal cases.