Qualifying age for voting
Dhruv Tank
(Querist) 19 September 2014
This query is : Resolved
Hi, my name is Dhruv. I am a first year law student from ILS Law College, Pune. I have been trying to write an article for which I need experts' help. The topic for my article is "Qualifying age for voting".
Under Section 14(B) of The Representation Of The People Act, 1950, a person is eligible to vote only if he/she turns 18 years of age on or before January 1 of the particular year in which elections are being held.
I turned 18 years of age in February 2014 and, hence, I could not qualify to vote in General Elections and Maharashtra Assembly elections of 2014.
I feel this is not fair as the Constitution says that 18 should be the qualifying age. If the reason behind this was the long time taken to enroll people to the electoral roll, making it difficult for them to be enrolled on time for elections, I would have understood the logic. But this argument does not stand because the enrollment process does not take so long.
This problem is not just faced by me. Many people who recent turned 18 face this problem.
I wish to write this article and make it reach the right eyes, so that (hopefully) some changes are made and our grievances are met with.
I would appreciate your views on the same.
I would also like to know from you how I can give this article (once I have written it) a wide reach so that it is read by our law makers.
You can contact me on my email id : tank.dhruv01@gmail.com
I request your kind help on this.
Thank you.
Anirudh
(Expert) 19 September 2014
Dear Mr. Dhruv,
According to you, what should be the cut-off date to determine whether one has attained the age of 18 or not for the purpose of making him eligible for voting?
Sudhir Kumar, Advocate
(Expert) 19 September 2014
There has to be some cut off date. Even in advertisement for Govt service there is cut-off date for minimum and maximum age.
Sudhir Kumar, Advocate
(Expert) 19 September 2014
"I would also like to know from you how I can give this article (once I have written it) a wide reach so that it is read by our law makers."
This is not a legal query. Contact some mass medial expert.
Dhruv Tank
(Querist) 19 September 2014
Anirudh ji, I agree enrollment to the electoral roll takes time. But not so much. This has been observed in the General Elections of 2014, where in many constituencies, the Election Commission was carrying out enrollment just a few days before elections, to facilitate more people to vote.
I believe that if a person is 18 years of age and is able to include his/her name in the electoral roll before the elections, he/she should be eligible to vote.
Dhruv Tank
(Querist) 19 September 2014
Sudhir Kumar ji, I agree there should be a cut-off date. That is exactly what 18 years of age is.
Also, the government had said through many sources that the qualifying age should be just 18 and anybody who turns 18 before elections, regardless of the date, should be allowed to vote. But this did not happen.
Doing away with that date of January 1 will allow more people to vote.
And regarding help in writing that article, I just ask for your views. I know this is not exactly a legal query that emminent lawyers like you deal with. But being a law student myself, I feel that if I find something that will help in the betterment of our country by the change of a rule, I should pursue it. I just need help from experts like yourself.
Thank you for your response.
Advocate. Arunagiri
(Expert) 19 September 2014
I am suggesting you to send your article to any of the experts by email and get their views.
Dhruv Tank
(Querist) 20 September 2014
Thank you so much, sir. I will send my article once I have written it.
Devajyoti Barman
(Expert) 21 September 2014
yes, you can take customised advice of any of the advocates.
Dhruv Tank
(Querist) 21 September 2014
Okay, sir. I will mail my article once I have written it to some of the experts. Than you so much for the reply.
