SC permits Italian guards to go home to cast vote
23 Feb 2013 8:54 AM IST
The Supreme Court on Friday permitted two Italian naval guards, accused of shooting dead two Indian fishermen off the coast of Kerala, to travel to their country to cast vote in the upcoming elections there. A bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir said that the accused naval guards, Massimiliano Lattore and Salvatore Girone, would travel to Italy under the control and custody of the ambassador of Italy in India, to cast their ballot in the elections scheduled for February 24 and 25.
The bench also comprising Justices A R Dave and Vikramajit Sen allowed the plea of the two marines and the Italian government to allow them to travel for four weeks to Italy.
‘We are inclined to allow the prayer,’ the bench said while asking the Italian ambassador to file an additional affidavit on behalf of the Republic of Italy.
While allowing the plea, the bench noted that under the Italian law, the naval guards are not entitled to cast their votes through postal ballot.
The bench said that the naval guards are only allowed to travel to Italy and remain there and will have to return to India.
During the hearing, the court was told that the trial court in Kollam, Kerala, has not handed over the passports of the two marines to ministry of home affairs (MHA) in accordance with the January 18 order of the apex court. The bench was told that passports have been mailed on February 16 and it has not yet been received by the MHA.
The bench also comprising Justices A R Dave and Vikramajit Sen allowed the plea of the two marines and the Italian government to allow them to travel for four weeks to Italy.
‘We are inclined to allow the prayer,’ the bench said while asking the Italian ambassador to file an additional affidavit on behalf of the Republic of Italy.
While allowing the plea, the bench noted that under the Italian law, the naval guards are not entitled to cast their votes through postal ballot.
The bench said that the naval guards are only allowed to travel to Italy and remain there and will have to return to India.
During the hearing, the court was told that the trial court in Kollam, Kerala, has not handed over the passports of the two marines to ministry of home affairs (MHA) in accordance with the January 18 order of the apex court. The bench was told that passports have been mailed on February 16 and it has not yet been received by the MHA.
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