Reduce minimum age to contest Assembly polls to 21, says Telangana CM

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has said that the minimum age to contest Legislative Assembly elections should be reduced to 21 years and that a Constitutional amendment should be made for this purpose.

Inaugurating the distribution of the Ponthuval Merit Award 2025 at Pathirappally here on Sunday, Mr. Reddy noted that young people should be encouraged to enter public and that the abilities and potential of the youth could be put to greater use. The award, instituted by K.C. Venugopal, MP, is given to students in the Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency who achieved outstanding results in the SSLC and Plus Two examinations.

“When the Constitution was adopted, the voting age was 21. Former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi reduced it to 18. Even now, the minimum age to contest as an MLA remains 25. Youngsters, after clearing the civil service examination, govern districts and handle administrative responsibilities. Then why should they not be allowed to contest Assembly elections at 21? Our Constitution needs to be amended,” he stated.

“Young people must be given the opportunity to be elected as MLAs. They should not remain only doctors, engineers, and lawyers, but also become people’s representatives,” Mr. Reddy said.

‘Rahul for 2029’

The Telangana Chief Minister said that the Congress is fighting to save the Constitution. “Though we lack money and media support, the real strength of the Congress lies in the power of the youth. While other political parties misuse money and influence, the Congress will protect people’s rights. For that, Rahul Gandhi should be elected as Prime Minister in 2029,” he said, adding that the youth are the brand ambassadors of the future.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Venugopal said that it was the duty of the government to provide students with good education and employment opportunities. “Because of its failure to do so, our children are leaving their homes and country to go abroad. Every child is the wealth of the nation. We must find an answer to how they can be utilised for the growth of our country. Along with education, there must also be a conducive environment in our land that ensures them well-paying jobs,” Mr. Venugopal said.

Renowned scientist Tessy Thomas, Former Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson, Alappuzha Diocese Bishop James Raphael Anaparambil and others attended the function.