Day after panchayat rule scrapped, Rajasthan removes 2-child cap for municipal polls as well

JAIPUR: A day after removing the three-decade-old rule that barred individuals with more than two children from contesting panchayat elections, the Rajasthan Assembly on Tuesday passed the Rajasthan Municipal (Amendment) Bill, 2026 by voice vote, allowing such individuals to contest elections to urban local bodies.

Urban development minister Jhabar Singh Kharra said the earlier provision had lost its relevance. “The restriction was imposed to control population growth. However, with increasing awareness among the public and changing circumstances, the rule has become outdated. In line with democratic principles, it has now been amended,” he told the House.

Kharra also said municipal elections had been delayed due to the absence of official data on the population of Other Backward Classes (OBCs). He noted that the Supreme Court had directed state OBC commissions to provide authenticated data on the OBC population before political reservation could be implemented.

“Once the official figures are approved by the state government, political reservation for OBCs in urban local bodies can be ensured,” he said.

On Monday, the Assembly had passed the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026, removing the two-child norm that disqualified individuals with more than two children from contesting elections to Panchayati Raj institutions. The Bill was also cleared by voice vote.

The two-child rule was introduced around three decades ago by the BJP government led by Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, disqualifying individuals with more than two children from contesting elections to Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies.

Replying to the debate earlier, Panchayati Raj minister Madan Dilawar said the provision had been introduced at a time when the government sought to curb rapid population growth. However, he said circumstances had since changed due to greater awareness and the spread of education, particularly among women.

“Considering the present circumstances, the provision has lost its relevance,” Dilawar said, adding that the amendment would enable those earlier disqualified under the rule to contest elections and participate in grassroots democracy.

The move drew criticism from the Opposition. State Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra said the original law had been enacted to promote population control. “The intention behind this law was population control. Is population control no longer necessary now?” he asked.

Dotasra also accused the government of making a policy reversal, alleging that some leaders wanted the rule removed because they themselves had more than two children.

Responding to the criticism, Dilawar said the Congress had earlier removed provisions that denied promotions to government employees with more than two children during its tenure in power. “We are not taking a U-turn. The provision has simply outlived its relevance, and therefore it is being removed,” he said.