Following the Cabinet’s decision the existing Act will have to be amended in the state legislature before implantation.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu (File photo:ANI)
With the threat of delimitation hanging on southern states in a significant decision Andhra Pradesh Cabinet decided to abolish the two-child norm for contesting local body elections on Wednesday.
Following the Cabinet’s decision the existing Act will have to be amended in the state legislature before implantation.
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The Southern states, which have seen considerable decline in population in past few decades, are apprehensive that delimitation would reduce their number of MP seats and lead to lesser political influence and allocation of resources while states like Bihar and UP reaping the benefits of increased seats.
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It may be mentioned that Naidu has been urging families to have more children following decreasing fertility rates even in his earlier tenure between 2014-2019 to ensure the state’s elderly population does not overtake the young.
The two-child norm was introduced in unified Andhra Pradesh in 1994 with candidates barred from contesting in local body elections if they have more than two children. According to the AP’s Panchayat Raj Act of 1994 a person with more than two children shall be disqualified from contesting election. However, if his children were born before 30 May, 1994 he or she shall not be disqualified. The amendment bill is likely to be introduced in the next Assembly session.
The AP Cabinet also took other key decisions such as issuance of new pattadar passbook for revenue records with the state’s official emblem instead of the earlier one with YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s photograph. The state will also implement its new liquor policy from 1 October,
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