HYDERABAD: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Sunday announced that he would urge the Centre to reduce the minimum age for contesting Assembly and Lok Sabha elections from 25 years to 21 years, saying it was time to empower the country’s youth to play a greater role in lawmaking.
Speaking to reporters, Revanth Reddy said he would travel to New Delhi on Monday to meet Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and present a proposal seeking support from the INDIA bloc for the initiative.
The Chief Minister said his proposal comes in the wake of the recent protests by students at Jantar Mantar over the alleged NEET paper leak, arguing that Generation Z should be given greater representation in the democratic process.
“I will place the proposal before INDIA bloc leaders. Let us see whether they introduce a private member’s Bill in Parliament,” he said.
Revanth Reddy reiterated that the Telangana government would adopt a resolution during the joint session of the State Legislature in the first week of August and forward it to the Centre for consideration.
He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take up the proposal alongside key electoral reforms, including the Delimitation Bill, the proposed increase in the number of Lok Sabha seats, and the Women’s Reservation Bill.
“Let all four issues be discussed together in Parliament,” he said.
The Chief Minister stressed that India’s political system should provide greater opportunities for young people, recalling that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had reduced the voting age from 21 to 18 years.
“If Prime Minister Narendra Modi implements this reform, his contribution will be remembered,” Revanth Reddy said.
Claiming that the voice of the youth was being ignored, he criticised the Centre’s handling of student concerns and called for a debate on the NEET examination in Parliament.
Referring to the recent police action against protesters at Jantar Mantar, Revanth Reddy echoed Rahul Gandhi’s demand that Union Home Minister Amit Shah take responsibility for the incident.
Asked whether he was seeking Amit Shah’s resignation, the Chief Minister said the matter should first be debated in Parliament and the Opposition’s response should be taken into account.
He also recalled inviting students from the Indian School of Business (ISB) to work with the Chief Minister’s Office and contribute ideas on improving education and employment opportunities for young people.
Noting that education is on the Concurrent List, Revanth Reddy questioned the Centre’s role in introducing NEET and said that those exercising authority over education must also accept responsibility for its outcomes.
