EC’s plan on young voters enrolment faces legal hurdle

 Election Commission’s plan to ensure that young citizens are registered as voters as soon as they turn 18 has run into difficulties as the attorney general has opined that the move to have multiple cut-off dates contradicts provisions of the Constitution.

EC had earlier this year told the government that the 1 January cut-off date set for the purpose deprives several youths from participating in the electoral exercise.

The Law Ministry had opposed the move, but following EC’s persistent demands, it had referred the matter to Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi for his opinion.

Rohatgi is learnt to have supported the view of the Law Ministry that the move to have multiple cut off dates ‘contradicts’ Article 326 of the Constitution and to have such a system is not practical.

EC, which had initially raised the issue earlier this year, brought up the matter again with the 

Law Ministry after the Narendra Modi government assumed power. Law Ministry is the administrative ministry for the Election Commission.