Telangana CM Proposes Lowering Assembly Poll Candidacy Age to 21

Speedy Summary

• Telangana Chief minister A. Revanth Reddy called for reducing the minimum age to contest Legislative assembly elections from 25 to 21, proposing a Constitutional amendment.
• Speaking at the Ponthuval Merit Award 2025 distribution event in Alappuzha, Kerala, Mr. Reddy emphasized encouraging youth participation in public life and using their abilities for governance.
• He cited examples of young civil service officers handling administrative roles effectively and questioned why they couldn’t become MLAs at 21.
• The Merit Awards were instituted by K.C. Venugopal, MP, and are awarded to students with outstanding SSLC and Plus Two results in Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency.
• Mr. Reddy also mentioned Congress’s fight to safeguard the Constitution while calling for Rahul Gandhi’s election as Prime Minister in 2029, highlighting youth as essential drivers of change.
• K.C. Venugopal spoke about improving education systems and employment opportunities in India to prevent brain drain among young talent.
• Notable attendees included scientist Tessy Thomas, former Chief Secretary Jiji Thomson, Bishop James Raphael Anaparambil.

indian Opinion Analysis

Telangana CM A. Revanth Reddy’s proposal to reduce the minimum age for contesting assembly elections highlights an evolving debate on youth participation within Indian democracy. His reasoning ties directly into leveraging India’s demographic dividend by promoting direct involvement of younger individuals in governance-a logical extension considering their active role in civil services at a comparable age.

While constitutional amendments demand rigorous deliberation among stakeholders nationwide-acknowledging diverse perspectives-it is evident that lowering entry barriers could create early leadership pathways for India’s vast youthful population. Though, critically important challenges such as maturity levels required for legislative work or potential misuse through populism must be carefully weighed.

Moreover, this vision aligns with broader concerns raised during the event about retaining skilled talent within India amid growing emigration trends among youth-a reminder that systemic reforms extending beyond political inclusion are necessary to optimize national growth.

Read more: The Hindu