EC Clarifies , No Recommendation of Lowering of Voting age to 16
An erroneous impression has been created that the Election Commission of India has recommended the lowering of the voting age to 16. No such proposal has been made by the Election Commission to the Government. There is no recommendation of this type by the Commission or the Chief Election Commissioner.
At a recent academic forum in Bhubaneshwar, Chief Election Commissioner, Dr. S Y Quraishi was only responding to a student’s suggestion that the voting age should be reduced to 16 in view of the fact that the youth in the country are maturing early progressively. Dr. Quraishi had mainly stated that the Election Commission is currently focusing on ensuring fullest participation of the newly eligible 18 year old in the electoral process.
Election Commission has the duty to bring all eligible citizens of the country on the electoral roll. The Commission finds it particularly challenging that the newly eligible voters in the 18-19 age group do not register. The enrolment in this age group in some areas is as low as 20%. Emphasizing this problem, Dr. Quraishi informed the gathering that this is the reason why National Voters’ Day is being observed on 25th January, 2011 so as to ensure that all those eligible with effect from 1st January should get enrolled and their Elector’s Photo Identity Cards (EPICs) should be given to them at booth level functions across the country. The full participation of these eligible electors is the present task in hand for the Commission to fulfil.
Election Commission of India
New Delhi, 15th January ,2011
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