Raghav Chadha Wants Younger Politicians in India
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chadha has called for a reduction in the minimum age for contesting Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections from 25 to 21 years. Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Chadha emphasized the need to encourage youth participation in mainstream politics.
Why Lower the Age?
Chadha highlighted that India is one of the youngest countries in the world, with an average age of 29 and 65% of the population under 35. He argued that the country’s representatives should reflect this youthful demographic.
Current Age Criteria
Currently, individuals must be at least 25 years old to contest Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, and 30 years old to become a member of the Rajya Sabha or State Legislative Council.
Chadha’s Argument
Chadha questioned why 18-year-olds can vote but cannot run for office until they are 25. He believes lowering the age to 21 would make politics more attractive to young people and better represent the nation’s demographics.
Statistics
Chadha noted that in the first Lok Sabha elections after independence, 26% of MPs were below 40. In the current 17th Lok Sabha, only 12% of MPs are under 40, despite the country’s increasingly younger population.
Doubts Revealed
Raghav Chadha -: Raghav Chadha is a politician from India who is a member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He is also a Member of Parliament (MP) in the Rajya Sabha, which is one of the two houses of India’s Parliament.
AAP -: AAP stands for Aam Aadmi Party, which means ‘Common Man’s Party’ in Hindi. It is a political party in India that focuses on fighting corruption and promoting good governance.
MP -: MP stands for Member of Parliament. In India, MPs are elected representatives who make laws and policies for the country. They can be part of either the Lok Sabha (House of the People) or the Rajya Sabha (Council of States).
Rajya Sabha -: The Rajya Sabha is one of the two houses of India’s Parliament. It is also known as the Council of States and represents the states and union territories of India. Members of the Rajya Sabha are not directly elected by the public but by the elected members of State Legislative Assemblies.
Lok Sabha -: The Lok Sabha is the other house of India’s Parliament, also known as the House of the People. Members of the Lok Sabha are directly elected by the people of India and are responsible for making laws and policies.
Vidhan Sabha -: The Vidhan Sabha is the legislative assembly of a state in India. It is similar to the Lok Sabha but operates at the state level. Members of the Vidhan Sabha are elected by the people of the state.
65% of India’s population is under 35 -: This means that most people in India are young, with 65 out of every 100 people being younger than 35 years old. This shows that India has a very youthful population.
12% of the current Lok Sabha MPs are below 40 -: This means that out of all the Members of Parliament in the Lok Sabha, only 12 out of every 100 are younger than 40 years old. This is a small number compared to the young population of India.