Jaipur, March 9: The Rajasthan Legislative Assembly on Monday passed the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026 by voice vote, allowing individuals with more than two children to contest elections in Panchayati Raj institutions.
Responding to the debate on the bill, Panchayati Raj Minister Madan Dilawar said the earlier provision under the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 disqualified candidates with more than two children from becoming members of Panchayati Raj bodies. The rule was introduced at the time to control the rapid population growth rate.
Dilawar said that due to rising awareness and increased education among women, the population growth rate has significantly declined in recent years, making the provision irrelevant in the current context.
“With the amendment, eligible individuals who were earlier barred from contesting elections due to having more than two children will now get the opportunity to participate in Panchayati Raj elections,” he said.
The minister also noted that the previous state government had already removed a similar rule that denied promotions to government employees with more than two children, highlighting the changing policy approach.
He added that several states including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Haryana have already scrapped similar provisions related to contesting Panchayati Raj elections.
