Elections to the House of the People and to the Legislative Assemblies of States to be on the basis of adult suffrage
Quick Summary (TL;DR)
Universal Adult Suffrage ("One Person, One Vote, One Value"): Guarantees every Indian citizen aged 18 or above the right to register as a voter and cast an equal vote in Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections without discrimination.
In Simple Citizen Words
When the Indian Constitution came into force in 1950, Article 326 executed the boldest democratic experiment in human history: while Western democracies took centuries to grant voting rights to women, the poor, and racial minorities, India granted Universal Adult Suffrage to every adult citizen—man or woman, billionaire or daily-wage labourer, literate or unlettered—from Day One.
Originally set at 21 years, the voting age was lowered to 18 years by the historic 61st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1988, empowering India's youth. Combined with Article 325 (which prohibits separate communal electorates and forbids excluding anyone from the voter roll on grounds of religion, race, caste, or sex), Article 326 ensures that political sovereignty rests in the hands of ordinary citizens.
Originally set at 21 years, the voting age was lowered to 18 years by the historic 61st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1988, empowering India's youth. Combined with Article 325 (which prohibits separate communal electorates and forbids excluding anyone from the voter roll on grounds of religion, race, caste, or sex), Article 326 ensures that political sovereignty rests in the hands of ordinary citizens.
Key Constitutional Provisions
Right to be enrolled on the Electoral Roll at age 18 with four qualifying dates every year (Jan 1, Apr 1, Jul 1, Oct 1)
Absolute equality of vote value: a street vendor's single vote carries the exact same weight as a billionaire's
Right to Secret Ballot & Free Voting without booth capturing, intimidation, or coercion
Right to press NOTA (None of the Above) on the EVM to express dissent against all fielded candidates (PUCL v. UOI, 2013)
Right to Know Candidate Details: mandatory disclosure of criminal cases, assets, liabilities, and educational qualifications of candidates (ADR v. UOI, 2002)
Right to Paid Holiday on Polling Day for every worker and private/daily-wage employee under Section 135B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951
Accessible Voting (Postal Ballot / Home Voting facilities) for senior citizens above 85 and Persons with Disabilities (PwD)
Exceptions & Reasonable Restrictions
A citizen can be disqualified from voting ONLY under a valid law enacted by the legislature on four specific grounds listed in Article 326: (1) Non-residence, (2) Unsoundness of mind (declared by a competent court), (3) Crime (such as persons serving imprisonment under Sec 62(5) of the RP Act), or (4) Corrupt or illegal electoral practices.
Why This Matters in Daily Life
Article 326 makes the ordinary citizen the ultimate master of the Indian Republic: every 5 years, the most powerful ministers must bow before the voter’s inked finger.
Want deeper legal & historical context? Explore the official Bare Act or Supreme Court Precedents & CAD Debates: