Article  326  of the Constitution provides that the elections  to  the
House  of  the People and to the Legislative Assembly of  every  State
shall  be  on  the basis of adult suffrage, that is to say,  a   person
should  not be less than 21 years of age.  It has been found that many
of  the  countries have specified 18 years as the voting age.  In  our
country some of the State Governments have adopted 18 years of age for
elections  to  the  local  authorities.   The   present-day  youth  are
literate  and  enlightened  and the lowering of the voting  age   would
provide  to  the unrepresented youth of the country an opportunity  to
give  vent  to  their  feelings and help them become  a   part  of  the
political  process.   The present-day youth are very much  politically
conscious.   It is, therefore, proposed to reduce the voting age  from
21 years to 18 years.

2. The Bill seeks to achieve the above object.

NEW DELHI;                                      B SHANKARANAND.

The 9th December, 1988.

                             
        THE CONSTITUTION (SIXTY-FIRST AMENDMENT)
                              ACT, 1988

                                                [28th March, 1989.]

An Act further to amend the Constitution of India.

BE  it enacted by Parliament in the Thirty-ninth Year of the  Republic
of India as follows:-

1.  Short title.- This Act may be called the Constitution (Sixty-first
Amendment) Act, 1988.

2.   Amendment of article 326.-In article 326 of the Constitution, for
the  words  "twenty-one  years", the words "eighteen years"  shall  be
substituted.