‘Ascertain willingness of prisoners under preventive detention laws to cast their votes in Assembly elections’

The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday directed the Secretary of Madurai District Legal Services Authority to visit the Madurai Central Prison and ascertain the willingness of prisoners detained under the preventive detention laws to cast their vote in the 2026 Assembly elections.

A Division Bench of Justices N. Sathish Kumar and M. Jothiraman made it clear that the exercise should be confined only to those prisoners who are under preventive detention and not to those in judicial custody or convicted prisoners.

The authorities should ensure that the willingness was obtained in a fair and proper manner. After obtaining the willingness, it should be forwarded by the Superintendent of Prisons, Madurai Central Prison, to the competent authorities, in accordance with the circular issued by the Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services, Chennai.