Telangana CM pitches for lowering age limit to contest elections

Hyderabad, Nov 14 : Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Thursday called for lowering, to 21 years, the age limit for contesting Assembly elections, saying youth will actively join politics and serve the people to their full potential.

The Chief Minister was speaking at the children’s mock Assembly organised here by school students on the occasion of Children’s Day, which marks the birth anniversary of the first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

Revanth Reddy lauded the mock Assembly for passing a resolution to lower the minimum age eligibility to contest elections and suggested that they send the resolution to the President and the Prime Minister.

"The age limit for voting was reduced from 21 years to 18 years but the minimum age eligibility for contesting the elections was not lowered. This law should also be amended so that youth who are aged 21 can also contest the elections," he said.

The Chief Minister said this move would help enhance the representation of youth in the legislature.

"Those aged 21 are discharging their duties as IAS and IPS officers. I strongly believe that at the age of 21, youth can also work efficiently as legislators," he said.

Referring to the mock Assembly, he said that such productive meetings are necessary for society. He suggested students pay more attention to the questions raised by the members of the Assembly and the answers given by the government.

"Opposition parties have the responsibility of questioning and exposing the government. Equal opportunities are being given to both the Leader of the House and the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly. The Speaker has the responsibility to run the House efficiently," he said.

Revanth Reddy said that the government should run the house in a coordinated manner despite the opposition creating a ruckus.

"It is unfortunate that some forces have been trying to stall the proceedings these days," he said.

Paying tributes to the former Prime Minister, he said Jawaharlal Nehru introduced a revolution in the education and agriculture sectors. He said Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh worked hard to implement compulsory education in the country. He mentioned that the credit for lowering the voting right to 18 goes to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.