Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has said his government will soon move a resolution in the State Assembly seeking to reduce the minimum age for contesting elections to 21 years. The resolution will be forwarded to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for consideration by the Centre.

Making the case for the proposed reform, Reddy questioned why young Indians who are eligible to become Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers at the age of 21 cannot also be allowed to contest elections for legislative bodies.

"If a 21-year-old can become an IAS officer, why should the same person not be eligible to become an MLA, MP or even a minister?" he said.

Greater Political Participation for Youth

Reddy argued that India's younger generation deserves greater representation in the country's democratic institutions.

Highlighting the demographic profile of the country, he said that Generation Z constitutes nearly 30 per cent of India's population, yet their representation in the Lok Sabha remains below one per cent. According to him, lowering the eligibility age would provide more opportunities for young people to participate directly in governance and policymaking.

Resolution to Be Sent to Centre

The Chief Minister said the Telangana Assembly would soon adopt a formal resolution supporting the proposal. Since the minimum age for contesting parliamentary and Assembly elections is governed by the Constitution and the Representation of the People Act, any change would require action by Parliament.

The proposed resolution will therefore be sent to the Union Government for consideration.

Congress Cites Earlier Electoral Reform

Reddy also noted that the Congress has previously supported expanding youth participation in the democratic process.

He referred to the decision taken during the tenure of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, when the voting age in India was reduced from 21 years to 18 years through the 61st Constitutional Amendment in 1988, enabling millions of young citizens to exercise their franchise.