Article 326 — Elections on the Basis of Adult Suffrage

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, every person who is a citizen of India and who is not less than [eighteen] years of age on such date as may be fixed in that behalf by or under any law made by the appropriate Legislature and is not otherwise disqualified under this Constitution or any law made by the appropriate Legislature on the ground of non-residence, unsoundness of mind, crime or corrupt or illegal practice, shall be entitled to be registered as a voter at any such election.

Source: Constitution of India, as published by the Ministry of Law and Justice.

Universal adult suffrage was one of the most radical aspects of the Indian Constitution at the time of its adoption. Many questioned whether an impoverished, largely illiterate electorate could exercise this right meaningfully. The Constituent Assembly, led by B. R. Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru, rejected literacy or property qualifications. The voting age was reduced from 21 to 18 by the 61st Amendment (1988), partly driven by the argument that those old enough to be soldiers should be old enough to vote.

• 61st Amendment (1988) — Reduced the voting age from 21 to 18 years.

• Article 324

Last reviewed: 3 July 2026