look news india
Age for contesting elections: of the Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha has demanded that the minimum age for contesting elections in India should be reduced from the current 25 to 21 years to increase youth participation in politics.
Speaking in the Upper House today, Raghav Chadha said India is one of the youngest countries in the world. “The average age of our country is only 29 years. 65% of our country's population is below 35 years of age. More than 50% of our country's population is below 25 years of age. But are our elected representatives too young?
He said when the first Lok Sabha was elected in this country (in 1952), 26% of the people in that Lok Sabha were below 40 years of age and in the 17th Lok Sabha (dissolved on June 16) only 12% of the people were above 40 years of age. So as the country is getting younger, our elected representatives are getting older. He said, “We are a young country with old politicians, we should aspire to be a young country with young politicians.
Raghav Chadha said that the age to contest elections in this country is 25 years. He said that the minimum age to contest Lok Sabha elections or assembly elections should be 21 years.
Urging the government to increase the participation of youth in politics, Raghav Chadha said, “I would like to request the government to reduce the age from 25 to 21 years and if a 21-year-old youth wants to come into mainstream politics and if he wants to contest elections, then he should be allowed to do so. When the youth of the country can vote at the age of 18, can choose their government, can choose the future of the country, then at the age of 21, they can also contest elections.
