Krishna Uppuluri/ Zee Research Group
This indeed has been a decisive verdict one that favors age and experience over youth.
Coming out in record numbers, the first time and young voters have invested faith in experience sending a record number of old parliamentarians to the 16th Lok Sabha.
An independent study shows that the proportion of MPs aged 25-40 is the least ever, according to data compiled by PRS legislative Research, an independent parliamentary research group. The number of Parliamentarians under this age stands at 47.
The 71-100 age group is swelling but corners yet a marginal share of all 543 MPs elected. The 16th Lok Sabha would have 24 members in this age group.
The study shows the proportion this election of MPs aged 41-70 is the highest ever.
Although the just concluded 2014 Lok Sabha elections saw the highest number of young voters ever, yet it saw the highest ever proportion of older candidates becoming MPs.
The average age of the incoming Lok Sabha is 54. It is marginally higher than the one in 15th Lok Sabha. In comparison the average age of Indians as per the 2011 census is 27.8 years. With 50 per cent of its population below the age of 30, India is one of the world’s youngest nations.
A study of general elections in India shows that since the first general elections in 1952 to the recently concluded one the proportion of MPs in the age group of 71-100 has increased steadily and is the highest ever this year. The 25-40 age group is least represented this time.
Of the 81.45 crore voters this election, 2.31 crore belonged to the age-group of 18-19 years, around 2.7 per cent of the total voters. The 2014 Lok Sabha election, recorded the highest voter turnout ever at 66.4 per cent, according to figures released by the Election Commission.
BJP Patriarch LK Advani (86) is the oldest member of next house.
According to a report, the BJP received 39 per cent support from the first time voters in comparison to Congress who could only secure 19 per cent votes from them.
In Delhi`s North-west, West, North East, and East constituencies, 81,760, 55,620, 54,889, 46,574 first time voters respectively came out to vote, according to the EC. BJP recorded win in all seven seats in Delhi.
The average age of the winners in Delhi is 47, with just one MP below the age of 40.
Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP secured 71 out of 80 seats, 38.1 lakh voters in the age group of 18-19 exercised their franchise, according to figures released by the EC.
Of the 28 elected representatives from Karnataka for the BJP, only one MP is below the age of 40. Another eight candidates who were elected are in the age group of 40 to 50 years. The rest 19 MPs are above 50 years. The average age of 28 MPs from the State is 54 years. The state had a registered voting population of 1.12 crore between the age of 18 and 29 years, according to figures by the EC.
There are exceptions though. Heena Gavit, Raksha Khadse both (26) from the BJP and Dr Shrikant Shinde (27) from the Shiv Sena, from Nandurbar, Raver and Kalyan constituency respectively in Maharashtra, won the elections this time around. All the three young MPs are from prominent political families in Maharashtra.
While some youngsters won, others like Avinash Devineni (26) who fought from Vijayawada for Congress lost the elections to Telugu Desam Party (TDP) candidate Kesineni Srinivas (48). Also Sima Chandravansi (25) who fought from Chatra constituency for AAP lost to the BJP candidate Sunil Singh (52).
Youth are being supposed to be the driving force behind the highest ever turnout witnessed in recently concluded Lok Sabha polls. However, they are still languishing in minority when it comes to bag party tickets. If a candidate up to 50 years of age can be considered as young in politics, the two main parties in the fray BJP and Congress fielded this time 37 and 35 per cent young candidates respectively. However, the newborn Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) tried to change the trend by pitching about 58 per cent youth nominees. Interestingly, if the criteria of young candidates changes to 40 years instead of 50, then these parties displayed a dismal show. By this method, AAP had about 31 per cent young candidates, followed by Congress’ 14 per cent and BJP’s 12 per cent respectively.
