Hyderabad: The state govt is likely to convene the monsoon session of the assembly in the third week of Aug, with a legislative agenda that includes a resolution seeking to lower the minimum age for contesting Lok Sabha and assembly elections from 25 to 21 years, besides key bills on urban development, land pooling and governance reforms.The govt is expected to announce the session dates in the next few days. While it initially planned to hold the session in the second week of Aug, ongoing renovation works in the assembly building are understood to have delayed the schedule.A key item on the agenda will be a resolution urging the Centre to reduce the minimum age for contesting parliamentary and assembly elections to 21 years.Chief minister A Revanth Reddy has been advocating the proposal, arguing that young people aged 21 are already eligible to become IAS and IPS officers, besides serving as mayors and zilla parishad chairpersons. He pointed out that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, while another ex-Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao enabled 21 year olds to contest elections for local body posts such as mayors and zilla parishad chairpersons.The state govt now plans to formally pass a resolution in the assembly and forward it to the Centre for consideration.The session is also expected to see the long-pending election to the post of deputy speaker, which has remained vacant for over two-and-a-half years. Revanth had earlier announced Dornakal MLA J Ramchander Naik as the party’s choice for the post. However, the govt is also considering the name of Devarakonda MLA Balu Naik Nenavath, sources said.Among the legislative measures proposed for the session is the CURE Act, which is expected to cover the Hyderabad metropolitan region up to the Outer Ring Road. The draft legislation has already been placed in the public domain for objections and suggestions.The govt is also expected to introduce the land pooling bill and new building regulations during the session as part of its broader urban planning and development agenda.
