HYDERABAD: The state government is likely to issue an ordinance relaxing the “two-child” policy for candidates contesting in the local body elections.
As per Section 21(3) of the Panchayat Raj Act, 2018, a person having more than two children shall be disqualified for election or for continuing as member. The amendment will allow persons having more than two children to contest in the local elections.
According to sources, the state government has readied the amendment and would approve it in the next state Cabinet meeting, before sending it to the Governor for consideration.
It may be mentioned here that the Governor has not given his assent to a similar ordinance amending Section 285A, which caps reservations at 50 per cent though the Raj Bhavan cleared other amendments like alteration of boundaries of Gram Panchayats. It is also pertinent to mention here that the State Election Commission has kept the local body election notifications in abeyance following the high court stay on the GOs providing 42% reservations for BCs in local bodies.
