Rajasthan Assembly Repeals Two-Child Norm for Urban Local Body Elections
The Rajasthan Legislative Assembly passed a Bill repealing the two-child norm for contesting Urban Local Body (ULB) elections in the state. Earlier rules disqualified candidates with more than two children. The repeal aligns Rajasthan with the broader policy direction of states moving away from coercive population-control disqualifications, particularly given the declining Total Fertility Rate (TFR) in India.
Key Facts & Details
8 points- 1Rajasthan repeals two-child norm for Urban Local Body elections
- 2Aligns with declining national fertility rate trend
- 3Removes disqualification for candidates having more than two children
Deep Dive
- +India's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) is 2.0 — at replacement level (NFHS-5)
- +74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 governs ULBs
- +Articles 243P-243ZG cover Municipalities
- +States that still have two-child rule for local body polls include Maharashtra and some others
- +Population control is in the Concurrent List (List III, Item 20A)
Exam Focus
Likely MCQ: Which Constitutional Amendment Act provides for Urban Local Bodies (Municipalities)? → Answer: 74th Amendment Act, 1992
Related Topics
Exam Relevance & Angle
Local self-government, constitutional amendments and population indicators are repeat questions in UPSC, SSC and Banking exams.
Target Exams
Background & Context
Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in India — Municipal Corporations, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats — are governed by the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992. The amendment inserted Part IXA (Articles 243P-243ZG) into the Constitution.
The ULB structure includes:
• Municipal Corporations — for larger urban areas
• Municipal Councils — for smaller urban areas
• Nagar Panchayats — for transitional (rural-to-urban) areas
The Twelfth Schedule lists 18 functional items for ULBs (urban planning, water supply, public health, etc.).
Total Fertility Rate (TFR) — the average number of children born per woman over her lifetime — is a key population indicator. As per NFHS-5 (2019-21), India's TFR has fallen to 2.0, just at the replacement level (2.1). With fertility no longer high in most states, two-child norms for elected office have come under criticism as coercive and outdated.
Related GK Concepts
Must KnowTest Yourself
1 / 3Which Constitutional Amendment Act provides for Urban Local Bodies (Municipalities)?
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