Andhra Scrapped 2-Child Rule For Contesting Local Body Polls

Andhra Pradesh government has repealed the three-decade-old “two-child rule” that barred individuals with more than two children from contesting local body polls.

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Context

The Andhra Pradesh government has repealed the three-decade-old “two-child rule” that barred individuals with more than two children from contesting local body polls.
The rollback reflects the state’s concern over its ageing population and its intent to incentivize larger families.

Why Was the Policy Introduced?

The policy was implemented to control population growth based on data from the 1981 and 1991 census, which showed India’s population growth as unsustainable.
Recommendations from the National Development Council suggested discouraging large families to regulate population.
It was introduced across many states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana between 1993 and 2005.
- Example: States like Odisha implemented the policy in 1993 and extended it to local bodies in 1994.

Why Was the Policy Rolled Back?

Ageing Population Concerns: With India’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) already falling below the replacement level in most states (TFR < 2.1), policymakers are concerned about negative population growth in the long term.
- For instance, while the national TFR is 2.1, Andhra Pradesh’s TFR is only 1.5, signalling a decline in the working-age population.
Socio-Economic Impact: Policies like these led to unintended consequences, including skewed sex ratios and a decline in child rights.
- The sex ratio at birth (SRB) fell to 880 girls per 1,000 boys between 2003 and 2005 in some areas, raising alarms over demographic imbalance.
Policy Realignment: Andhra Pradesh, following states like Chhattisgarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh, decided to abolish the rule to align population goals with changing realities.
- The National Population Policy (2000) called for a free approach to reproductive health instead of coercive measures.