Rajasthan Local Body Elections: Proposal Allows Candidates with More Than Two Children to Contest

In a significant political and administrative development, the Rajasthan government has moved a step closer to relaxing the long-standing disqualification rule that bars individuals with more than two children from contesting local body elections. A proposal to amend the Municipalities Act has received administrative approval, raising strong possibilities of the new rule coming into force before the upcoming panchayat and urban local body elections.

Amendment Proposal to Reach the Assembly

The proposal has been granted administrative clearance by Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra amid preparations for local elections. The file will now be sent to the Law Department for legal vetting. Once cleared, it will be placed before the State Cabinet and subsequently introduced in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. If passed, the amendment will formally change the eligibility criteria for contesting municipal elections.

What Change Is Being Proposed?

Under the existing provisions of Section 24 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, any individual having more than two children is disqualified from becoming a municipal councillor, chairperson, or board member. The proposed amendment seeks to remove this disqualification, thereby allowing candidates with more than two children to contest elections.

Background and Earlier Signals

Government sources indicate that discussions around this change had begun earlier. In November, indications had emerged that the state government was considering amendments to both the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act and the Municipal Corporation Act through an ordinance. The objective has been to eliminate the disqualification linked to the two-child norm.

Current Rule in Force

At present, the rule states that if a person’s third child is born after November 27, 1995, the individual is deemed ineligible to contest elections for local self-government institutions. This restriction applies to posts such as Panch, Sarpanch, Pradhan, Zila Pramukh, Councillor, Chairman, and Mayor.

Political Significance

If the amendment is approved by the Assembly, it will mark a major shift in Rajasthan’s local governance framework, impacting thousands of aspiring candidates across rural and urban bodies. The proposed change is expected to generate intense political debate, as the two-child norm has long been defended as a population-control measure while also being criticized as socially restrictive.

With local body elections on the horizon, the proposed amendment is likely to play a key role in shaping Rajasthan’s political discourse in the coming months.