Shifting the state’s demographic policy, the Telangana Legislative Assembly on Saturday passed a bill officially scrapping the decades-old "two-child norm" for local body elections. The move effectively removes the disqualification rule that prevented individuals with more than two children from contesting panchayat and municipal polls.
Panchayat Raj Minister Danasari Anasuya, popularly known as Seethakka, moved the Telangana Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026, explaining that the old rule was a relic of the mid-90s. When introduced in 1994, it was seen as a necessary tool to combat a population explosion that threatened food security and employment. However, three decades later, the government’s review suggests the state is now facing the opposite problem: a shrinking younger population.
The Minister pointed out that the fertility rate in rural Telangana has dropped to 1.7, which is well below the "replacement rate" of 2.1 required to keep a population stable. She said: "If this trend continues, there will be undesirable consequences in the next generation, such as an aging workforce and a disruption to the social structure." The relaxation of the two-child policy will help the country achieve a balanced replacement rate while making sure more participants are included in grass-roots democratic politics.
The enactment of the bill replaces an existing one and sets the tone for the forthcoming local body polls based on the new criteria. Since people naturally prefer smaller family sizes anyway, there seems very little point in retaining a punitive piece of legislation, such as the one adopted in 1994.
Also read: KCR returns to T'gana Assembly; House adjourned till Jan 2
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