In the upcoming presidential election, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has directed pertinent authorities to let remand detainees to cast ballots. Following a meeting yesterday, representatives from the Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners, the Department of Prisons, the Election Commission, and other election monitoring organizations came to this resolution.
The main topics of discussion were how to overcome practical difficulties, security risks, and guaranteeing voting procedures are transparent in prisons. The project came about as a result of a complaint that the HRCSL received from the Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners.
All parties involved agreed that voting rights for inmates are important and pledged to work together to find workable solutions. The Election Commission pledged to the HRCSL that it would take all necessary efforts to ensure that convicts may exercise their right to democracy, and that actions in that direction had already begun.
In order to safeguard and advance convicts’ ability to vote and ensure their participation in the democratic process, the HRCSL stressed its responsibility for keeping an eye on and collaborating with pertinent institutions.