Place 2-child cap for panchayat polls, Union minister tells UP

MUZAFFARNAGAR: Union minister Sanjeev Balyan has made an appeal to the Uttar Pradesh government to bring a law and bar those having more than two children from contesting panchayat polls in the state. Several states, like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, have brought their own laws restricting people with more than two children from contesting local body elections. Uttarakhand had also introduced a similar law, but the state’s high court later struck it down.
Balyan, who is an elected MP from Muzaffarnagar, made the request in a letter written to UP CM Yogi Adityanath on the occasion of World Population Day on Saturday. Polls to state panchayat bodies are expected to be held in the coming six months.
In the letter, Balyan expressed apprehension over the UP’s population — which is now more than 23 crore. He claimed if UP brings this law, it will set a precedent and help bring down the population.
“Our state should start a campaign to control the population. And it can be started from the next panchayat poll. Anyone who has more than two children should not be allowed to contest the next poll. On the occasion of World Population Day, I request you to please consider launching this campaign in your supervision,” Balyan wrote.
He told TOI later, “When our country got Independence, the population was about 36 crore. It has exceeded 136 crore now. I strongly feel that figure will reach 150 crore by 2050. The time has come to make a law to control the population.”