After Panchayats, Rajasthan removes two-child eligibility norm for municipal polls

The Rajasthan government has removed the two-child eligibility norm for contestants in the municipal polls.

To implement this cabinet proposal, the state assembly on Tuesday passed the Rajasthan Municipalities (Amendment) Act, 2026, by a voice vote.

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The amended Act deleted and rephrased Sections 24 & 18(2) of the Municipalities Act 2009. With this change, parents of more than two children are now eligible to contest elections for councillor, ward member, mayor, and chairperson of a municipality. The ban on contesting polls for cured leprosy patients has also been lifted.

During the debate on the Bill, opposition members expressed discontent over the government’s alleged move to buy time to delay the overdue panchayat and urban civic body polls.

They also reiterated accusations that the ruling BJP was taking these steps to gain political mileage in the panchayat and municipal polls.

Replying to the debate, Urban Development and Local Bodies Minister Jhabbar Singh Kharra refuted the opposition’s charges, asserting, “The government is capable of holding snap polls on the principle of ‘one state, one election’.

However, if the opposition is keen on providing political reservation to OBCs in these elections, we have no option but to wait for the state OBC Commission’s report.

To emphasise this point, Khatra said, “It is not about delay tactics on the government’s part. If you (the opposition) are ready for polls without the OBC quota, just provide us with a written statement. The government would then file an application before the Supreme Court to convey our readiness to conduct polls in these bodies without waiting for the OBC Commission’s report and OBC quota.”

On this point, acrimonious scenes returned to the House for some time.

After Minister Kharra’s reply, the House passed the Bill by a voice vote.

Yesterday, the assembly also passed by a voice vote the Rajasthan Panchayat (Amendment) Bill, 2026, effecting similar amendments to the existing 1994 Act.

Earlier in the day, the House also briefly passed the Maharana Pratap Sports University (Jaipur) Bill, 2026, by voice vote.

After passing the Municipalities Amendment Bill, Speaker Vasudev Devnani adjourned the House sine die, marking the conclusion of the budget session.