Q. Consider the following statements:
1.In India, the right to vote is governed by the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
2.Undertrial prisoners in India are allowed to vote in elections.
3.In India, convicts with sentences of less than two years in prison cannot contest election.
4.Prisoners held under preventive detention can vote in an election.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
Explanation –
Statements 1 and 4 are correct. The right to vote in India is governed by the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (RP Act). This Act lays down the conditions under which Indian citizens can vote in elections and specifies rules regarding who is disqualified from voting. Prisoners held under preventive detention are allowed to vote in elections. The Representation of the People Act, 1951, specifically exempts persons detained under preventive detention laws from the restrictions that apply to other prisoners regarding the right to vote.
Statements 2 and 3 are incorrect. According to Section 62(5) of the Representation of the People Act, anyone confined in prison, whether as a convict or an undertrial, is disqualified from voting. Convicts under prison in India can contest elections, although they cannot vote. Convicts with sentences of less than two years are permitted to contest, while those with longer sentences or disqualified for other reasons (e.g., convicted of serious crimes) cannot.
Source: The Hindu
