Telangana govt likely to decide on 2-child policy for rural polls after caste census

The Telangana government is likely to decide on a proposal to lift the restriction barring individuals with more than two children from contesting rural local body polls, after deciding on quotas for the elections. Ruling Congress sources on Tuesday said the issue will likely be addressed after the caste census is completed and a decision on reservations for rural local body polls is made.

The Telangana government's comprehensive socio-economic, employment, political, and caste survey, an election promise by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, began on November 6 and is now in its final stages.

Earlier, Congress sources had indicated that the government may revert to the previous policy, which was changed in the 1990s by the government of undivided Andhra Pradesh.

The two-child norm was already repealed for urban local bodies in Telangana.

Recently, the Andhra Pradesh Assembly passed a bill allowing people with more than two children to contest urban local body elections, reversing the previous rule.

Leaders from various political parties have expressed concerns that southern states could lose Lok Sabha seats in the upcoming delimitation exercise.

Speaking at an event in October, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy highlighted that southern states have effectively implemented family planning policies, but the Centre has failed to appreciate their efforts.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin have also supported the idea of having larger families.