Indian Supreme Court Orders to Establish Voting Booths in Prisons

The Supreme Court of India today issued a notice to the Central Government and the Election Commission of India in response to a Public Interest Litigation(PIL) seeking to grant voting rights to undertrial prisoners. The PIL calls for judicial intervention to ensure that those incarcerated but not yet convicted are able to exercise their fundamental right to vote by setting up polling stations within prisons.

A bench heard the plea, which argues that denying the right to vote to individuals who are merely accused of a crime and not proven guilty violates their constitutional rights. The petition emphasizes that existing legal provisions disenfranchise a large number of citizens, many of whom are later acquitted.

The PIL specifically seeks a directive to the Central Government and the Elections Commission to formulate guidelines for establishing polling stations inside prisons for eligible undertrials who are local residents, or to explore alternative methods, such as postal ballots or special procedures, to facilitate their participation in the electoral process.

The Court has given the Union of India and the Election Commission of India a specific time frame to file their detailed responses. This legal challenge brings the spotlight back onto the issue of electoral reforms and the rights of prison inmates, setting the stage for a crucial legal debate on the principle of 'innocent until proven guilty' in the context of democratic participation.

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