Postmortem

Why Are Postmortems Usually Done After Sunrise?

A postmortem, or autopsy, is a crucial medico-legal procedure carried out to determine the cause of death, gather evidence for investigations, and sometimes bring closure to grieving families. One question that often arises is: Why are postmortems traditionally performed only after sunrise and before sunset?

The Traditional Practice: After Sunrise Only

For decades, in India and many other countries, postmortems were restricted to daylight hours. This practice grew out of practical, legal, and scientific reasons:

1. Dependence on Natural Light
   In earlier times, mortuaries lacked adequate artificial lighting. Natural daylight was essential for forensic experts to notice fine details such as bruises, internal injuries, or subtle color changes in tissues. Artificial lights could distort these observations, potentially leading to errors.

2. Legal and Procedural Tradition
   The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in India, for instance, directed that postmortems should ordinarily be performed during the day. This ensured fairness, accuracy, and transparency in medico-legal cases.

3. Scientific Accuracy
   Observing the color of bruises, signs of suffocation, or other forensic details is highly dependent on true color perception. Daylight provided the most reliable environment to make such critical judgments.

4. Humanitarian Concerns
   Conducting postmortems in the morning allowed reports to be completed promptly, so families could receive the body and proceed with last rites without unnecessary delays.

The Modern Perspective: Postmortems Anytime

With advancements in technology and infrastructure, the strict sunrise-to-sunset rule is no longer universally applied.

1. Advanced Lighting Systems
   Today, mortuaries are equipped with high-quality, shadow-free lighting that mimics natural daylight. This enables accurate examinations even at night.

2. Handling High Caseloads
   Large hospitals and forensic centers face heavy caseloads. Restricting procedures to daytime can cause backlogs. Night postmortems help keep investigations timely and efficient.

3. Emergency Situations
   In cases of mass disasters—such as accidents, bomb blasts, or natural calamities—postmortems may be conducted round the clock to identify victims quickly and support investigations.

4. Legal Flexibility
   While the NHRC still recommends daytime postmortems, exceptions are allowed in urgent cases such as rape, child deaths, custodial deaths, or when directed by police or magistrates. Some states in India now permit night postmortems if facilities are adequate.

5. International Practices
   In most Western countries, there is no restriction. Postmortems are carried out at any time of the day, provided the mortuary is equipped with proper facilities.

Traditional vs. Modern Postmortem Practice 

In traditional practice, postmortems were carried out only in the presence of natural daylight, since accurate color perception was vital for forensic findings. Examinations were restricted to after sunrise and before sunset, ensuring fairness, accuracy, and adherence to legal standards such as those laid down by the NHRC in India. Internationally too, there was often a preference for daylight-based procedures.

In contrast, modern practice has adapted to technological advancements. Today, mortuaries are equipped with artificial lighting systems that replicate daylight quality, making it possible to perform postmortems at any time of the day or night. The reasoning has shifted from purely accuracy and fairness to also include efficiency, urgency, and technological capability. In India, while daytime examinations remain the norm under NHRC guidelines, exceptions are increasingly allowed—such as in urgent cases or in states where night postmortems are formally permitted. Internationally, most countries now place no restrictions on timings, provided the facilities meet forensic standards.

Conclusion

The tradition of conducting postmortems only after sunrise was rooted in practical and scientific reasons of the past. However, with modern advancements in forensic science and mortuary infrastructure, postmortems can now be performed at any time of the day. In India, daytime examinations are still the standard, but night postmortems are increasingly allowed in urgent or special circumstances.

This evolution reflects how science, technology, and law work together to balance accuracy, justice, and compassion for families.