Jaipur, March 10: The Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed the Rajasthan Municipalities (Amendment) Bill, 2026 by voice vote, allowing individuals with more than two children to contest elections in urban local bodies.
Replying to the debate on the bill, Urban Development Minister Jhabar Singh Kharra said the earlier restriction barring candidates with more than two children from contesting municipal elections had been introduced to curb rapid population growth. However, with increasing public awareness and changing social conditions, the rule had become irrelevant in the current context.
Kharra said the amendment aligns with democratic principles and will allow experienced individuals who were previously disqualified under the two-child rule to participate in municipal elections.
The minister also said the amendment removes leprosy from the list of “dangerous diseases” defined under the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009, ensuring that people affected by or treated for the disease are not discriminated against. The move follows directions issued by the Supreme Court of India.
Kharra noted that delays in municipal elections are partly due to the absence of official population data for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). The Supreme Court has directed states to provide verified OBC population data through the state backward classes commission before granting political reservation.
He added that the state government is committed to ensuring proper representation for OBC communities in urban local bodies once the required data becomes available.
The minister also informed the House that delimitation has been carried out in 234 of the state’s 309 urban local bodies as per prescribed norms, while minor deviations exist in the remaining ones. He said the state government has the authority to determine municipal boundaries under the relevant provisions of the law.
