22 April,2009 09:18 AM IST | | Vivek Sabnis
IG Prisons launches crusade to allow prisoners to exercise their right to vote
Inspector Generalu00a0 of Prisons Uddhav Kamble wants the government to ensure prisoners are able to exercise their right to vote. "I hope to persuade concerned authorities to either permit prisoners to travel to polling booths or make the facility available inside jails. The constitution gives every citizen the right to vote. Why should the 26,000 prisoners in Maharashtra be deprived of this right?" asked Kamble, a vocal advocate of prison reforms.u00a0u00a0
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Kamble added that the Representative of Public Act (RPA) 1951, which does not allow prisoners to vote, would have to be amended for this aim to be achieved. "It is probably too late for authorities to make necessary arrangements so prisoners can vote in theu00a0 ongoing Lok Sabha polls. However, the Assembly elections are three months away. It would be great if the provisions are made by then," added Kamble.u00a0u00a0u00a0
Rajendra Dhamne, superintendent, Yerawada Central Prison, said it is Section 62 of the RPA that lay down stringent security measures, which come in the way of allowing prisoners to visit polling booths. "The law did, however, permit undertrials like Pappu Kalani, Ashwin Naik and Arun Gawli to contest elections," Dhamne pointed out.
Human rights activist Advocate Asim Sarode said the RPA takes away political rights of the prisoners. "By keeping prisoners away from the electoral procedure, politicians are denying them a fundamental right as citizens of the country," said Sarode.
