The Supreme Court has issued an interim order to the government to make arrangements for the prisoners so that they can vote during the upcoming elections.

The order says arrangements should be made for the inmates to vote for the proportional representation system.

A single bench of Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla issued the interim order on Friday after a hearing on writ petition jointly registered by two students of the Kathmandu School of Law—Nishant Pokhrel and Pradiksha KC.

The order was made public on Monday.

Justice Malla also issued an order to the government to collect or update the list of all the prisoners eligible to vote as their, saying that they cannot be deprived of their voting rights.

“It’s not that all the fundamental rights of the prisoners are automatically stalled or suspended,” the Supreme Court said in its order. “They cannot be robbed of their freedom—except their movement.”

The petitioners have made the Prime Minister’s office, Home Ministry and the Election Commission as defendants.

According to advocate Dinmani Pokhrel, who pleaded on behalf of the petitions, they presented examples of different countries like Australia, South Africa and European countries where prisoners are allowed to exercise their franchise.

The Election Commission has been updating the voters’ list for the upcoming federal and provincial polls since June 15.

The apex court has also stated that the prisoners were allowed to vote for the proportional representation system during the Constituent Assembly polls in 2008.