Elections – Rajasthan Ends Two-Child Rule for Local Polls

Elections –  The Rajasthan government has removed a long-standing rule that prevented individuals with more than two children from contesting Panchayati Raj and urban local body elections. The decision was cleared during a recent cabinet meeting and marks a significant shift in the state’s approach to eligibility criteria in grassroots politics.

Cabinet Clears Amendment Bills

Law Minister Jogaram Patel announced that the cabinet has approved amendments to the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act and the Rajasthan Municipal Act. The proposed changes eliminate the disqualification clause that barred individuals with more than two children from participating in local body elections.

According to Patel, the amendment bills are expected to be tabled and passed during the ongoing session of the Rajasthan Assembly. Once enacted, the revised law will allow any individual, regardless of family size, to contest Panchayat and municipal elections.

The two-child norm had been in place for nearly 30 years. It was introduced during the tenure of former Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat with the stated objective of encouraging population control and promoting smaller families among elected representatives at the grassroots level.

Policy Shift After Three Decades

The removal of the restriction signals a departure from the earlier population-focused framework. Addressing the media, Patel said that while the original intention behind the rule was linked to demographic concerns, the government now believes that the broader social and administrative environment has evolved.

Officials indicated that the change reflects a reassessment of priorities in local governance. The amendment effectively restores eligibility to a section of potential candidates who were previously barred from contesting due to the two-child criterion.

Industry Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore described the decision as an important reform. He said that individuals should not be restricted from participating in local democratic processes based on family size, adding that the revised policy broadens democratic participation.

Impact on Upcoming Local Body Elections

The timing of the decision is significant, with local body elections scheduled for next month. Political observers suggest that the removal of the two-child norm could expand the pool of eligible candidates across districts and municipalities.

With more individuals now able to enter the electoral fray, political parties may need to recalibrate their strategies and candidate selection processes. The change is expected to influence grassroots campaigning and local alliances, particularly in rural constituencies where the Panchayati Raj system plays a central role in governance.

State officials have maintained that the amendment is an administrative decision aimed at ensuring wider participation in local governance. The government has also clarified that the move is not linked to recent public statements made by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat or religious leader Dhirendra Shastri regarding family size. Ministers have rejected suggestions that the policy shift was influenced by those remarks.

Broader Debate on Governance and Eligibility

The two-child norm had been part of a broader trend in several states during the 1990s, where population control measures were incorporated into local election laws. Over the years, however, debates emerged over whether such provisions restricted democratic rights and disproportionately affected certain communities.

With the proposed amendments, Rajasthan joins a growing number of states that have reconsidered similar restrictions. Supporters of the move argue that electoral eligibility should not be tied to personal family decisions, while others emphasize the need to balance governance reforms with long-term demographic planning.

As the Assembly prepares to take up the amendment bills, attention will remain focused on how the change reshapes local political dynamics. For now, the government’s decision marks a clear policy transition, opening the door for a wider spectrum of candidates to participate in the state’s upcoming Panchayati Raj and municipal elections.