Enfranchise Children-
Voting rights for all-
Right to vote is a fundamental right of citizens of India. It gives them right to choose their leaders which make the political system democratic in true sense. Not even in democracy but in all other forms of political systems where leaders are elected, election issue is of paramount importance. Keeping children, the leaders of future generations, out of the election process is not vindicated.
In India all citizens, above the age of 18 years, have been given a fundamental right to vote. Why the age is decided to 18. It is expected that an 18 year old is mature enough to take decisions in his best interest. Being 18 year old adult doesn’t ensure that they would always vote for country’s interest. They could be easily coaxed to vote for any candidate. Why not children should be given a chance? 
The mere fact that they are incapable of making decision is not strong enough to deny them the right to get a better education, a better health care, a better food and shelter. They are part of the country and just like an 18 year old person, a child has an equal right to live with dignity and to be brought up in an amicable atmosphere.
Whenever groups with similar interests are excluded from the political process, public policies are formulated without taking their views into account. That’s why even after 50 years we are still grappling with the vexatious illiteracy problem. Parents with lack of resources have to choose their sons over daughters for schooling. 51% of children are under nutrition. Few are brought up by the side of railway station and other few are ensnared into the forced labor. They can’t even raise their voices and call strikes against these atrocities as the mature and circumspect people do whenever they want to take few days rest out of their mundane work. Few would argue that parent are the curators and they take care of their children’s basic necessities. What about them who are not fortunate enough to have parents. All these problems stem from failure to enfranchise children.
It is true that they can’t take decisions which will best serve theirs as well as country’s interest. That’s why I am talking about an extra vote for parents or who ever is caretaker of child. We could think that what is the surety that parents would use this extra vote in benefit of children. Well there is not, but we already trust the parents to make all important decisions which affect the child’s life considerably. They are free to choose the type of education, medical treatment and all other mundane things. Furthermore, most parents already vote with their children’s best interests in mind. It seems nothing wrong in empowering them with one extra vote on behalf of their child.
No child will be left uncared and orphaned. Their interest will never come to second priority as they come now and all education, healthcare and nutrition plans are sacrificed or left unimplemented to save few jobs today. They are the part of country and need to have equal rights. Thier unjstified exclusion from political process must end.
-Nik
Nik could be reached at nik@schoolsearch.in
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