Raghav Chadha: Making a compelling case for reducing the minimum age for contesting elections, which is currently 25, AAP MP Raghav Chadha argued in Parliament on Thursday that India’s young population deserves representation that mirrors its demographics. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Chadha emphasized the need for younger politicians to reflect the nation’s youthful average age.
“We are a young country with old politicians, we must aspire to be a young country with young politicians,” Mr. Chadha said, advocating for the age to be reduced to 21. His remarks were met with some light-hearted banter from Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar, who jokingly asked Chadha if he wished to enter Parliament at an even younger age. Chadha, with a smile, responded that the issue is close to his heart.
Youthful Demographics
Chadha highlighted that India, with an average age of 29 years, is one of the youngest countries in the world. He pointed out that 65% of the population is under 35, and over 50% is under 25. Despite this, the age of politicians and elected representatives is increasing.
“In the first Lok Sabha, 26% of the members were less than 40 years old. In the just-dissolved 17th Lok Sabha, only 12% were in that age group,” Chadha noted, illustrating a disconnect between the country’s youthful population and its aging political representatives.
Changing Perceptions of Politics
Chadha suggested that the perception of politics as a “bad profession” deters young people from entering the field. Parents typically aspire for their children to become doctors, engineers, sportspersons, scientists, or chartered accountants, but rarely politicians.
Call to Lower Minimum Age
To incentivize youth participation in politics, Chadha urged the government to lower the minimum age for contesting Lok Sabha and Assembly elections to 21. “When a person can vote at the age of 18, pick the government and play a role in deciding the future of the country, why can’t he contest elections at the age of 21?” he asked.
Chadha’s proposal seeks to align the eligibility to contest elections with the voting age, fostering greater political engagement and representation among India’s young population.
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