In a significant move, the Rajasthan Cabinet has approved the removal of the long-standing two-child norm for participating in Panchayati Raj and urban local body elections. This decision, reversing a rule in place for nearly 30 years, allows candidates with more than two children to contest elections in the state. The change marks a major shift in Rajasthan’s local governance framework, introduced during the tenure of former Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat in 1995.
Law Minister Jogaram Patel announced the approval of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Rajasthan Municipal (Amendment) Bill, 2026. These amendments eliminate the restriction that prevented candidates with more than two children from running in Panchayat and municipal elections. Patel highlighted that the two-child norm, initially aimed at population control, has become outdated due to significant socio-political changes over the years.
The removal of this restriction is expected to have a profound impact on the local political scenario in Rajasthan. Many grassroots leaders and potential candidates who were previously disqualified under this rule will now have the opportunity to participate in elections. This move is anticipated to enhance participation and competition in the upcoming Panchayati Raj and urban local body polls, according to political analysts.
The demand to abolish the two-child norm had been a recurring theme in the Assembly discussions. Legislators from various parties, including Congress MLA Hemaram Chaudhary and BJP MLA Chandrabhan Singh Akya, questioned the selective application of this rule only to Panchayat and municipal elections, excluding Assembly or Lok Sabha polls. The decision to scrap this norm is viewed as a significant step in Rajasthan’s electoral reforms and is likely to influence the forthcoming local body elections positively.
In another notable decision, the Cabinet approved the Ayurveda and Naturopathy University Bill, paving the way for the establishment of a new Ayurveda University in Ajmer to promote traditional medicine education and research. Deputy Chief Minister Premchand Bairwa announced the formation of a Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Economic Offences in Jodhpur to combat banking and financial fraud, share market scams, and land fraud through cooperative societies.
Industry Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore disclosed that the estimated cost of the Bharat Mandapam project on Jaipur’s B-2 bypass has been revised from Rs 3,500 crore to Rs 5,800 crore. He emphasized that the project is expected to be financially self-sustaining and not impose a burden on the state treasury. The Cabinet also sanctioned the allocation of 53 acres of land for an iron ore mining project in Udaipur, with an anticipated investment of Rs 500 crore, aiming to stimulate industrial growth and create job opportunities in the region.
