After denying the opportunity to contest local polls, the Andhra Pradesh government has finally scrapped the two-child policy keeping leaders away from running for elections.
The newly-formed Andhra government under Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday approved a resolution to amend the AP Municipal Corporations Act and Panchayat Raj Act that barred people with more than two children from contesting local and civic body polls.
The two-child policy was adopted by the southern state in 1994.
Why was the policy scrapped?
The Telegu Desam Party-led Andhra government has scrapped the two-child policy intending to improve the demographic management of the state amid a population decline.
The decision comes at a time when the freeze on delimitation is expected to end in 2026. Southern states such as Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Telangana are increasingly concerned that their effective population control measures could lead to a reduction in their Lok Sabha seats.
They worry that delimitation might penalize them for their successful population management compared to other regions. Additionally, states that have enforced strict two-child policies are also expressing dissatisfaction with receiving a smaller share of central funds, as financial allocations are often based on population figures.
Which other states have the two-child policy?
Maharashtra: The state’s Zilla Parishads And Panchayat Samitis Act mentions that individuals with more than two children will be disqualified from contesting local polls. Apart from this, the Maharashtra Civil Services (Declaration of Small Family) Rules, 2005 bars people with more than two offspring from holding state government jobs.
Odisha: Under the Odisha Zilla Parishad Act, people with more than two children cannot contest elections.
Karnataka: In this southern state, the Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj of 1993 allows people to run for polls but makes a person ineligible “if he does not have a sanitary latrine for the use of the members of his family”.
Gujarat: In 2005, the government amended the Gujarat Local Authorities Act to prevent individuals with more than two children from running for elections to local self-governance bodies, including panchayats, municipalities, and municipal corporations.
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