Undertrials should be allowed to vote, says NHRC

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today recommended that undertrials be allowed to vote in the elections and the maximum period of detention of a person should be fixed to six months.       

In its draft recommendations on detention, the NHRC said "the provision of right to vote should be ensured to the undertrials".       

"An undertrial in custody or who is not on bail can contest an election but does not have the right to vote. The provision of right to vote should be ensured to the under trials. It will have a positive impact on bringing changes in the attitude of the undertrials and the people," it said.       

It also said preventive detention cannot be for unlimited period and that there is a need to ponder to reduce the maximum period of detention to two to six months and also have mechanism of periodic review.        

The NHRC also impressed upon the government to immediately ratify the Convention against Torture, which India has signed it.       

"Ratification can also be done through an amendment to Indian Penal Code," the draft recommendations said.       

The Commission also suggested that to reduce the number of undertrials in the country, the government should establish more courts and fill up vacant posts in judiciary.  

It also pressed for expediting the process of recording evidence of the police officers and medical practioners who are witness in certain cases as transferable nature of their services compounds any delays in this regard.