Andhra Pradesh govt abolishes two-child policy for local body elections

The Andhra Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, resolved on Wednesday to abolish the two-child policy, which disqualifies individuals with more than two children from contesting elections in the state’s rural and urban local bodies.

The cabinet agreed to amend the Andhra Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act-1955, AP Municipalities Act-1965, and AP Panchayat Raj Act-1994 to remove the clauses that prevent individuals with more than two children from running in municipal and panchayat elections.

After the meeting, State Information and Public Relations Minister Kolusu Parthasarathy said the decision to eliminate the two-child rule was made in light of changing socio-economic needs and population balance, considering the declining total fertility rate (TFR).

This development comes at a time when the delimitation freeze is likely to end in 2026. Concerns are mounting in southern states such as Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Telangana, where there is fear about being disadvantaged in effectively managing their population growth compared to other areas.

The delimitation process could result in a reduction of Lok Sabha seats for these states. Additionally, states that have rigorously enforced a two-child policy are voicing grievances about receiving a smaller portion of central funds, as allocation is frequently determined by population size.

The two-child policy was introduced in the then unified Andhra Pradesh in 1994, barring candidates with more than two children from local body elections.

In some states, people with more than two children were prohibited from running for elections, holding government positions, or receiving certain government benefits.

According to the AP Panchayat Raj Act of 1994, a person with more than two children is disqualified from contesting elections unless their children were born before May 30, 1994. The amendment bill is expected to be presented in the next Assembly session.

States that have implemented the two-child policy include Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Karnataka, and Gujarat.

[With agency inputs]