Andhra passes laws to remove two-child norm for local body elections

In May 1994, the Congress-led government in combined Andhra imposed two-child norm by amending AP Panchayat Raj Act, AP Municipal Corporations Act, 1955 and Municipalities Act, 1965

The Andhra Pradesh legislative assembly on Monday passed two bills to effectively end the two-child norm that barred candidates having more than two children from contesting the elections for local bodies.

N Chandrababu Naidu (PTI)

The AP Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2024 and the AP Municipal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024 –– moved by ministers Nadendla Manohar (on behalf of deputy chief minister and panchayat raj and rural development minister K Pawan Kalyan) and P Narayana (municipal administration and urban development) –– were passed by a voice vote without any discussion.

In May 1994, the Congress-led government in combined Andhra Pradesh had imposed the two-child norm by amending the AP Panchayat Raj Act, the AP Municipal Corporations Act, 1955 and the Municipalities Act, 1965 as part of population control measures.

On August 7, the state cabinet, headed by chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, decided to do away with the two-child norm in view of the changing socio-economic necessities and balance of population taking into consideration falling total fertility rate (TFR).

“While the average national TFR is 2.11 (births per woman), it is only 1.5 in Andhra Pradesh. According to the latest figures, the average male fertility age in the state is 32.5 and it is expected to go up to 40 years by 2047. Similarly, the average fertility age of a woman is 29 years, which is likely to go up to 38 by 2047. This will result in reduction of the people contributing to the economic development,” state information and public relations minister Kolusu Parthasarathy had said on August 7.

Similarly, he added, the percentage of people above 60 years of age in Andhra Pradesh is 11% and it will go up to 19% by 2047. The national average of the people above 60 years is at present 10% and it will go up to 15% by 2047. “Keeping all these factors in view, the government has decided to do away with the two-child norm for contesting the local body elections,” Parthasarathy had said.

The Andhra Pradesh government’s move comes in the backdrop of CM Naidu often flagging that India, especially the southern states, were heading towards a population decline, which could have dangerous consequences.

On Saturday, Naidu publicly called upon the people of his state to have more than two children. He said he was planning to provide incentives to families who bear more than two offspring.