Election Commission to push multiple cut-off dates proposal to enrol voters

NEW DELHI: Unfazed by legal hurdles in its plan to register young citizens as voters as soon as they turn 18, the Election Commission has decided to approach the government to push its proposal to have multiple cut-off dates to enrol voters.

The Commission has formally asked the Law Ministry to discuss the issue in the coming days. The meeting could be attended by top EC brass and Law Ministry officials.

"Based on the meeting, the Commission will take a decision," said a senior functionary.

The Legislative Department in the Law Ministry is the administrative ministry for the EC.

But according to the Law Ministry, a change in rules or even an amendment to the Representation of the People Act will not help.

"It is for the policy makers to decide whether multiple cut off dates are actually required. Less than one per cent of people are affected due to a single cut off date," a senior law Ministry official explained indicating the lack of enthusiasm on part of the government to have multiple cut off dates.

The Attorney General had recently red flagged Commission's plan to have multiple cut off dates to enrol voters, saying it contradicts provisions of the Constitution.

EC had last year told the government that the January 1 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 had 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.