Dignity in Prisoners’ Right to Vote

This research paper examines India's legislative framework on prisoners' voting rights and its relevance to human dignity. As a democratic country, India's argument over the right to vote has been ongoing. Article 326 of the Indian Constitution allows for adult suffrage, which means that everybody over the age of 18 in India has the right to vote, subject to the statute's limitations. When it comes to a prisoner's right to vote, however, India has enforced an absolute blanket ban under Section 62(5) of the Representative of the People Act, 1951. By establishing this provision, India chose criminal disfranchisement, and Supreme Court judgments have consolidated this criminal disfranchisement. In this article, we will examine a few international laws and institutions. This research paper will also discuss the necessity for reform in India's legislative policy as well as how denying a prisoner's ability to vote is an infringement on their dignity.