A YOUTH bulge with ready access to smartphones is not an advantage for politicians accustomed to going through the motions every electoral cycle and making the same promises they have no intention of honouring.

Most young people, armed with social media tools at their fingertips, are aware of the way governments are expected to deliver in more developed democracies, and the power of the vote in shaping policy.

This demographic also tends to be comparatively less likely to defer to considerations of class, biradari, ethnicity, etc — in other words, some of the factors that have traditionally ensured voter apathy and predictable outcomes.

According to the latest electoral rolls, out of a 105.96 million-strong electorate, around 46m are aged between 18 and 35 years; of them, 7.44m range from 18 to 25 years, and many will be voting for the first time. In 2013, there was a palpable interest in the polls from younger people determined to make their voices heard.

Keeping in mind that the enthusiasm may have somewhat been tempered by subsequent developments — also known as realpolitik — one cannot predict with any degree of certainty that young people will turn out in large numbers this time as well.

The intention at least seems to be there. According to the findings of a UNDP report released a couple of months ago, although only 24pc of youth trust politicians, 90pc of men and 55pc of women among them 18 years and above intend to cast their ballot.

Clearly, young people may be cynical but they are not jaded.

They also have higher expectations of their representatives, something that a few former legislators found out when they were heckled by groups of their young constituents furious at them for asking for their votes despite having done little to earn them over five years.

These may be only a few isolated examples, but they could be a portent of things to come; if not this year, then certainly in the elections ahead.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2018