Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, S.C., has firmly rejected recent calls for prisoners to be allowed to vote in the upcoming general and regional elections scheduled for September 1, 2025. He characterized the proposal as a last-ditch effort to disrupt the electoral process.
The push for prisoner voting has come from opposition-nominated commissioners at the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM), who have urged the Commission to implement systems that would enable convicted individuals to cast their ballots.
While there is no law explicitly barring prisoners from voting, Nandlall noted that no legal framework currently exists to facilitate such voting for individuals serving sentences or on remand. He questioned the motives and timing of the opposition’s call, especially given that the elections are just three months away.
“From 1964 to 1992, didn’t they know that prisoners were not voting? These gentlemen, who are in their seventies, don’t know that prisoners have not voted before?” Nandlall stated during his weekly program, Issues in the News.
The Attorney General emphasized that the People’s National Congress Reform (PNC/R) has long been part of Guyana’s political landscape and had never previously raised concerns regarding prisoner voting, even during their time in government from 2015 to 2020.
Nandlall elaborated on the historical context, explaining that the tradition of not allowing prisoners to vote has roots in the British colonial system. He stated that imprisonment results in the loss of several freedoms, and historically, voting has been one of them.
“To change this, there would need to be a clear policy decision, followed by new laws and proper planning,” he said. Nandlall also highlighted the logistical challenges involved in allowing prisoners to vote, including the need for a legislative framework and changes in how elections are conducted.
Criticizing the opposition-nominated GECOM commissioners, Nandlall described their actions as a tactic to delay the elections, asserting that their motives are not genuine. “They are not genuine when they purport to speak as though they are Democrats. The only ulterior motive would have been to frustrate and delay the elections,” he asserted.
The Attorney General’s stance is supported by People’s Progressive Party (PPP)-nominated Commissioner Sase Gunraj, who echoed concerns about the lack of legislation enabling GECOM to allow prisoners to vote. Gunraj confirmed that GECOM has already voted on the matter, ensuring that prisoners will not be voting in the upcoming polls.
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