The decision of the ECtHR is now final – The UK
Government has 6 months to address the blanket ban on
prisoners' votes
The latest decision from the European Court of Human Rights
(ECtHR) on the issue of prisoners' voting rights is now final.
The judgment of the Court in Greens and M.T. v the United
Kingdom, issued in November 2010, was finalised on Monday 11
April 2011, despite referral requests having been submitted.
The procedures of the ECtHR provide that parties can, within
three months from the delivery of a judgement, request that the
case be referred to the Grand Chamber for review, if it raises a
serious question of interpretation or application, or a serious
issue of general importance. Such requests are examined by a Grand
Chamber panel of five judges and if accepted, the Grand Chamber
would render its own decision on the case, which would then be
final. All final judgments of the Court are binding on the
respondent States concerned.
