Supreme Court Seeks Centre, ECI Response on PIL for Undertrial Voting Rights

The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Centre and Election Commission of India on a PIL by lawyer Sunita Sharma challenging the blanket ban under Section 62(5) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which bars all prisoners, including undertrials, from voting.

The plea sought voting rights for undertrials, excluding those jailed for corrupt practices or election-related offences.

The Plea highlighted that nearly 4.5 lakh pre-trial, undertrial and non-finally convicted prisoners are disenfranchised.

The petition argued that if convicted individuals can contest elections and represent voters, undertrials who have not been declared guilty should not be denied the right to vote.

[Sunita Sharma v Union of India & Anr]