Revanth Reddy amplifies Jayant Chaudhary’s call to lower poll age to 21 as Gen Z asserts its power
New Delhi: Amid growing debate over Gen Z’s role in Indian politics, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has backed the longstanding demand of Union Minister of State and Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Jayant Chaudhary to reduce the minimum age for contesting Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections from 25 to 21.
Reddy raised the demand days after youth-led demonstrations spearheaded by the Cockroach Janata Party over alleged irregularities in the education and examination system culminated in Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation.
The protests demonstrated the ability of young Indians to influence national politics from outside elected institutions. The proposal backed by Reddy and Chaudhary seeks to give them a more direct role in legislatures.
Reddy questions age rules
Reddy questioned why citizens who become eligible to vote at 18 must wait until 25 to contest Lok Sabha or Assembly elections. The minimum age for contesting Rajya Sabha and State Legislative Council elections is 30.
Referring to eligibility rules in other countries, Reddy said people can be elected to legislatures at 18 in Germany and Britain. He also said a person aged 21 can become prime minister in Singapore.
The chief minister argued that younger citizens must be provided an opportunity not only to vote but also to participate in governing the country.
Special session planned
Reddy announced that a special session of the Telangana legislature would be convened in the first week of August to debate the issue.
He said the state would pass a proposal seeking to reduce the minimum age for contesting Lok Sabha and Assembly elections to 21. It would subsequently be sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for consideration.
A nationwide change in the candidacy age would require Parliament to amend Articles 84 and 173 of the Constitution, which lay down the eligibility requirements for membership of Parliament and State Legislatures.
Reddy said Telangana wanted to lead the campaign for greater youth representation. He also expressed confidence that the proposal would receive parliamentary support under the guidance of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi.
Jayant’s sustained campaign
While Reddy’s announcement has renewed attention on the proposal, Jayant Chaudhary and the RLD have campaigned for the reform since at least 2019.
The RLD organised a Yuva Adhikar Sammelan at Constitution Club in New Delhi on February 12, 2019. Chaudhary, who was then the party’s vice-president, led the discussion on reducing the minimum age for contesting Lok Sabha and Assembly elections from 25 to 21.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh and former JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav attended the programme and endorsed the proposal.
Chaudhary argued that if people aged 21 were permitted to contest Gram Panchayat and municipal elections, they should also be allowed to seek election to Parliament and State Assemblies.
Bill introduced earlier
Chaudhary formally took the proposal to Parliament on December 9, 2022, when he introduced the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, 2022, as a private member’s Bill in the Rajya Sabha.
The Bill sought amendments to Articles 84 and 173 to lower the minimum age for contesting Lok Sabha and Assembly elections from 25 to 21.
On April 30, 2025, Chaudhary wrote to Prime Minister Modi, urging him to consider the proposal as part of a broader electoral reform programme. He highlighted the differences between the minimum ages prescribed for voting, contesting local elections and seeking membership of higher legislatures.
RLD MP Chandan Chauhan raised the matter again during a Lok Sabha discussion on electoral reforms on December 10, 2025. He pointed out that Indians could vote at 18 and contest local elections at 21 but had to wait until 25 to enter the Lok Sabha or a State Assembly.
Earlier youth reforms
Reddy also recalled the electoral reforms introduced during the tenures of former prime ministers Rajiv Gandhi and P V Narasimha Rao.
The voting age was reduced from 21 to 18 through the 61st Constitutional Amendment during Gandhi’s tenure. Constitutional reforms enacted under Rao subsequently strengthened local governance and enabled people aged 21 to contest local body elections.
Gen Z gains influence
The renewed campaign comes as Gen Z asserts greater influence over political and policy debates. The recent student demonstrations showed that young Indians can mobilise rapidly and exert pressure on the government.