Bhubaneswar, Oct. 9 -- The Orissa High Court said that the right to live with human dignity guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution extends equally to foreign nationals within India's territorial jurisdiction, directing the Centre to ensure the disembarkation and repatriation of 23 seafarers stranded aboard an abandoned vessel at Paradip Port.

The HC held that foreign nationals could not be denied the protection of the fundamental right to life merely because they were not Indian citizens, while hearing a petition filed by Istyagin Evegeny Nikolaevich, a Russian national and master of the vessel MT Unity, which was anchored at Paradip since May 11 after being arrested in connection with maritime claims.

"The seafarers of abandon...