1 hr ago
Congress Accuses Modi of Threatening Gen Z Voting Rights
The Congress party says Rajiv Gandhi helped young people vote by lowering the voting age to 18 in 1988.
It says Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government is now making it harder for newly eligible young voters to join voter lists.
Congress pointed to a process called Special Summary Revision, which updates electoral rolls.
The party claims this process has not happened since 2024.
It says this could stop many Gen Z voters from being registered.
Congress also criticized Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and called for his resignation.
The Election Commission said disagreements among its officials can happen during normal discussions.
It also said its decisions are legal and follow established rules.
Congress credited Rajiv Gandhi with lowering India’s voting age from 21 to 18 in 1988.
Jairam Ramesh accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of allowing new Gen Z voters to remain off electoral rolls.
Congress claimed Special Summary Revisions of electoral rolls have been frozen since 2024.
The party demanded Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation and blamed the government for alleged voter exclusions.
The Election Commission said differing views are normal and that its orders follow lawful, established procedures.
- Who
- The Indian National Congress, led in this matter by Jairam Ramesh, criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Election Commission of India.
- What
- Congress accused the government of preventing newly eligible Gen Z voters from being added to electoral rolls and demanded Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation.
- Where
- The dispute concerns India’s national electoral-roll and voter-registration system.
- When
- The remarks were made on Thursday and Friday; Congress referred to electoral-roll revisions being halted since 2024.
- Why
- Congress said the suspension of Special Summary Revisions could exclude new voters, while the Election Commission said its procedures and orders are lawful.
Congress allegations
Election Commission response
Registration of young voters
Congress allegations
Congress says the suspension of Special Summary Revisions is preventing newly eligible Gen Z voters from being added to electoral rolls.
Election Commission response
The Election Commission did not accept the allegation in its statement and said its orders follow established statutory procedures.
Internal disagreements
Congress allegations
Congress cited reported objections by Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi over voter-registration forms, additions and deletions, and centralized database control.
Election Commission response
The Election Commission said differing views and observations are a normal part of institutional deliberations, and all commissioners and officers may submit suggestions.
Political responsibility
Congress allegations
Congress accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of pursuing plans to exclude young voters.
Election Commission response
The Election Commission said its decisions are legally authorized, without addressing Congress’s political allegations in the cited statement.
Key facts
- Voting-age change
- Rajiv Gandhi’s government amended Article 326 in December 1988 to lower the voting age from 21 to 18.
- Congress spokesperson
- Jairam Ramesh made the allegations on behalf of the Congress.
- Electoral-roll process
- Congress said Special Summary Revisions have been frozen since 2024.
- Congress demand
- The party called for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar to resign.
- Commission objections
- An Indian Express report said Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi objected at least 14 times over 10 months to decisions related to the SIR process.
- Election Commission response
- The poll panel said differing views are normal and that its orders have legal sanction and follow statutory procedures.
Quotes
Jairam Ramesh
Congress general secretary in-charge of communications
“It is clear that a mortified PM is hellbent on ensuring Gen Z voters do not have their names on the electoral roll. Seeing that Gen Z has hit the streets and is satirising him mercilessly but justifiably, he has deployed the CEC Gyanesh Kumar to keep them off the rolls.”
telegraphindia.com
“This is a Tale of Two PMs. One PM got Parliament in its regular Winter Session in Dec 1988 to amend Article 326 of the Constitution to reduce the minimum age for voting from 21 years to 18 years. This was a PM who empowered the youth”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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