Prisoners, who can’t vote, become part of polls

Ongole: Though they are barred from exercising their right to vote under the Representation of People’s Act, they are now becoming a part of the festival of democracy, general elections, 2024, with their skill.

If any person was convicted under for a crime punishable with imprisonment of less than two years, his candidature to contest in elections cannot be disqualified on those grounds, as per Section 8(3) of the Representation of People’s Act. But, Section 62(5) of the same Act bars a lawfully imprisoned person from voting. Many prisoners at central prison in Nellore who share the same fate, unable to use their right to vote, got an unexpected opportunity to be part of the elections.

As part of the General Elections 2024, the voters in the Prakasam district are going to vote at 2,183 polling stations. For these, the Election Commission requires 2,183 EVMs for Assembly and 2,183 EVMs for the parliament candidates. To store about 4,800 EVMs, including the spare EVMs, the district administration requires a total of 600 racks and called for tenders to make them as per the given gauge and size.

As per tenders received, the contractors quoted Rs 52.80 lakh as the lowest price to supply the racks, including the transportation and GST, to store all the EVMs. However, learning about the foundry and skillset of the inmates at the central prison Nellore, the Prakasam district collector spoke to the DIG prisons, who then asked the officials to send the quotation. Then, the central prison in Nellore quoted Rs 46.23 lakh for the same given measurements. So, the Prakasam district administration gave the contract to the central prison Nellore and the prisoners started making the racks and thus have become part of election process of the largest democratic country.