Hyderabad, July 26: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Saturday announced that the state government will soon convene a special Assembly session to pass a resolution urging the Centre to reduce the minimum age for contesting Lok Sabha and Assembly elections from 25 years to 21 years.
Addressing a candlelight rally in Hyderabad over the NEET paper leak issue, Reddy said the special session of the Assembly and Legislative Council would be held in the first week of August, where a resolution seeking a constitutional amendment would be passed and sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
CM Calls For Greater Gen Z Representation
Reddy said Gen Z accounts for nearly 30 per cent of India's population but has less than one per cent representation in the Lok Sabha. He argued that allowing 21-year-olds to contest elections would bring greater youth participation into politics.
"We will discuss in the Assembly and pass a resolution to make 21 years the minimum age to contest as an MLA and MP and send it to the Prime Minister," he said.
The Chief Minister said the country's future would change if young people above the age of 21 entered governance and suggested that the Constitution be amended to enable them to contest elections.
Citing examples from other countries, Reddy said 18-year-olds can become Prime Ministers and Presidents in Germany and the UK, while Singapore allows a 21-year-old to become Prime Minister.
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Reddy Backs Youth Leadership
Reddy said he would work towards ensuring that a Gen Z leader becomes the Union Education Minister if Congress leader Rahul Gandhi becomes Prime Minister.
"I will speak to INDIA bloc and meet leaders of every party. These people should not just return home after raising their voice on the streets. These youth should go to Parliament and make the voice of Gen Z heard all over the world," he said.
He pointed out that 21-year-olds are already eligible to become IAS and IPS officers, as well as Mayors and Zilla Parishad chairpersons.
Recalling previous reforms, Reddy said former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi reduced the voting age from 21 to 18, while former Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao enabled 21-year-olds to contest elections for the posts of Mayors and Zilla Parishad chairpersons.
NEET Protest Issues Raised
The Telangana CM also claimed that the Gen Z agitation over examination irregularities forced Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign, referring to the protests as a major political development.
He further said that Congress, under Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, would raise issues related to withdrawal of cases filed against students and youth during the NEET protests in Parliament, along with compensation for those who died by suicide allegedly linked to the paper leak controversy.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, several ministers, CPI leaders and a large number of youths participated in the rally.
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