The right to vote and contest elections in India is a legal right, not a fundamental right. It is provided under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and Article 326 of the Constitution. Courts have clarified that it is statutory in nature and can be regulated by law. Fundamental Rights cannot be taken away easily, but voting rights can be modified by legislation.

The voting age was reduced from 21 to 18 years by the 61st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1988. This reform aimed to increase youth participation in democracy. It amended Article 326 and significantly expanded the voter base. The change came into effect at the end of the 1980s, making that decade correct. Other decades are incorrect.