No more child limit for local body polls: TG cabinet

The Telangana Cabinet has approved an Ordinance to remove the rule that disqualified candidates with more than two children from contesting local body elections.

Announcing the decision after a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Revenue Minister P. Srinivas Reddy said the government had already discussed the issue in the previous Cabinet meeting. “Since the Assembly is not in session, the Cabinet has decided to draft an Ordinance and recommend that the Governor promulgate it,” he explained.

An Ordinance is a temporary law issued by the Governor on the recommendation of the Cabinet when the Legislature is not in session. It has the same effect as a law passed by the Assembly but must be approved by the Legislature within six weeks of its next session to become permanent.

The two-child norm was introduced by the previous government to control population growth. Under this rule, any person having more than two children was barred from contesting elections to gram panchayats, municipalities, and other local bodies.

The current Cabinet, in its October 16 meeting, decided in principle to remove this restriction, saying it was unfair and outdated. With the new Ordinance, people with more than two children will now be eligible to contest local body polls once the Governor formally approves it.