Days After Bhagwat Urged Hindus to 'Have At Least Three Kids', Rajasthan Govt Scraps Two-Child Norm From Polls

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Rajasthan has scrapped an existing rule that barred people with more than two children from contesting Panchayati Raj and urban local body elections. The move comes within a fortnight of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat appealing to the Hindu families to have at least three children, reported New Indian Express.

In a recent meeting of the state cabinet, the Rajasthan government took the decision to reverse the two-child policy, which was introduced in the 1990s during the regime of former BJP chief minister and future vice president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. The Shekhawat administration had decided to bar people with more than two children from contesting Panchayati Raj and urban local body elections with an aim of promoting smaller families owing to concerns such as population explosion.

Rajasthan law minister Jogaram Patel said the cabinet has approved the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Amendment Bill and the Rajasthan Municipal Amendment Bill, 2026, with proposed changes, including the removal of the restriction that disqualified people with more than two children from contesting Panchayat and civic polls.

The decision is expected to impact the upcoming local body elections in Rajasthan by widening the candidate pool.

Law minister Patel said that while the original aim was population control, the government now believes that the circumstances have changed.

Rejecting any link to the recent remarks by Bhagwat, industry minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore called it a major step. He said that as a result of the decision,  people will be free to contest local elections regardless of family size.

On February 17, Bhagwat had made an appeal to Hindu families and asking them to have at least three children. Speaking at social harmony event, Bhagwat had said that while there is “no threat", Hindus must remember the real purpose of a marriage. He had stated that societies with an average fertility rate of below three could disappear in the future and urged Hindu families to consider having at least three children, reported Hindustan Times.

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