The Hindu : Veterans in 13th Lok Sabha

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 08, 2004

National

National

Veterans in 13th Lok Sabha

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MARCH 7. Is it a telling statement on politics or is it that Indians prefer age/experience to youth when they vote people to the Lok Sabha. Except for the short-lived 12th Lok Sabha when the average age of members was 46.4, the past two decades have seen the age profile on the rise with the 13th Lok Sabha being the "oldest.''

As per statistics, the average age of members in the just dissolved Lok Sabha was 55.5. Curiously enough, the 12th Lok Sabha was the "youngest'' with the average age being 46.4; lower by a point than the first Lower House when a number of young freedom fighters joined the fray.

While the average age of MPs remained in the second half of 40s all through the first five Lok Sabhas, the 50-bar was crossed in the post-Emergency election of 1977 when it jumped from 49.2 to 52.1. While the next general election saw it come down to 49.9, three successive Lok Sabha elections saw the age profile hover around 51.4 before it peaked at 52.8 in the 11th Lok Sabha. But, two years down the line, when the nation faced its third election in as many years, it chose to vote in older members; thereby taking the age-profile to the highest ever of 55.5.

Though the 13th Lok Sabha did have several young faces, they were outnumbered by veterans.

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