House Scraps Two-Child Norm in Panchayat Polls

Hyderabad: The Legislative Assembly on Saturday unanimously passed four Bills, including the Telangana Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which abolishes the long‑standing “two‑child norm” that barred candidates with more than two children from contesting local body elections.

Introducing the Bill, panchayat raj minister Seethakka recalled that the restriction was enacted in 1994 to tackle population surge concerns of the 1980s and 1990s, such as threats to food security, jobs and poverty reduction. She noted that the total fertility rate in rural Telangana has now declined to 1.7 children per woman — well below the replacement level of 2.1.

“This sustained decline stems from greater awareness of family planning, improved healthcare, higher literacy among women and enhanced financial stability. Maintaining the current fertility rate of 1.7 may adversely affect the State’s demographic dividend in the future,” she said, adding that the change was made in the long‑term interests of future generations and after consultations with Panchayati Raj representatives.

The Assembly also passed the Telangana Panchayat Raj (Second Amendment) Bill, 2026, renaming ‘Jaintirumalapoor’ in Wanaparthy mandal as ‘Jayanna Tirumalapur’. The minister said the village was originally established by Jayanna, great‑great grandfather of G. Chinna Reddy.

Two other Bills — the Telangana (Regulation of Appointments to Public Services and Rationalisation of Staff Pattern and Pay Structure) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and its second amendment — were introduced by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and passed unanimously.