The Osaka High Court has ruled that denying prisoners the right to vote in public elections is unconstitutional — the first judgment on the Public Offices Election Law provision that disenfranchises those serving time.

The ruling Friday came in response to a lawsuit filed by Hiroshi Inagaki, 69, who was incarcerated at Shiga Prison from March to November 2010 for breaking the Road Traffic Law with an unauthorized demonstration. The term prevented him from voting in the Upper House election on July 11 that year.

Article 11 of the election law denies convicts the right to vote or run for office until the sentence has been carried out.