Rajasthan cabinet approves bills to allow people with more than two children to contest local body elections

Jaipur, Feb 25 (PTI) In a significant decision ahead of the announcement of local body polls in Rajasthan, the state cabinet on Wednesday approved bills for the revocation of provisions that barred persons with more than two children from contesting these elections.

Briefing reporters after the cabinet meeting, state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Jogaram Patel said the restriction on contesting elections for those with more than two children had been imposed at a time when effective control of population growth was considered necessary.

The fertility rate, which was 3.6 during 1991-94, has now declined to 2, making the direct impact of such provisions less relevant, Patel said.

The Cabinet approved bringing the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Rajasthan Municipalities (Amendment) Bill, 2026, for amending Section 19 of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 and Section 24 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009.

Patel was accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Premchand Bairwa and Industries and Commerce Minister Rajyavardhan Rathore at the briefing.

The Cabinet also approved the formation of a Revenue Intelligence and Economic Offences Directorate by abolishing the existing State Revenue Intelligence Directorate to strengthen action against economic crimes and ensure financial discipline, they said.

The decisions were taken at the meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma at the Assembly Secretariat.

Patel said that in compliance with a Supreme Court judgment, the Cabinet approved an amendment to Section 24 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009, by removing the word "leprosy" from the category of disqualifying diseases.

He said the move would ensure equal opportunity for all individuals, including persons affected by leprosy, to contest upcoming municipal elections and uphold their dignity, eliminating a discriminatory provision from the law.

On the formation of the Revenue Intelligence and Economic Offences Directorate, Bairwa said it would deal with offences such as real estate fraud, financial crimes related to banks, insurance, NBFCs and the share market, multi-level marketing scams, fake insolvency cases, and fraudulent placement agencies.

It will also handle cases of forged documents for jobs and admissions, illegal encroachments and sale of government land, stamp and registration irregularities, shell companies and cooperative scams.

The Directorate will also analyse inputs from commercial taxes, excise, transport, registration and mining departments to curb revenue leakages and tax evasion, he said.

The Cabinet also approved the Rajasthan Industrial Park Promotion Policy, 2026, to accelerate industrial development and generate employment. Under the policy, private industrial parks will be developed.

A revised financial model for the proposed Rajasthan Mandapam and Global Capability Centre project in Jaipur was also cleared.

The Cabinet also approved the draft of the Rajasthan Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy University, Ajmer Bill, 2026, to promote Indian systems of medicine. PTI AG RT RT RT RT