RAS question
The two-child norm removal in Rajasthan panchayat elections applies to which of the following posts?
Correct answer: (C) Ward panch, sarpanch, panchayat samiti member, zila parishad member, pradhan and district head.
Rajasthan's removal of the two-child norm for panchayat elections applies to ward panch, sarpanch, panchayat samiti member, zila parishad member, pradhan and district head posts.
Explanation
The amendment removes the two-child disqualification from Rajasthan's panchayat election framework across the listed panchayat posts: ward panch, sarpanch, panchayat samiti member, zila parishad member, pradhan and district head. The official Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2026 says Section 19 of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act, 1994 contains general disqualifications for panchayat members, and that the clause disqualifying a person with more than two children is to be deleted. Its statement of objects and reasons explains that the State Government decided to remove this disqualification because such persons were being denied the opportunity to become members of panchayats. Therefore, the answer is the comprehensive list, not a smaller subset of posts.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) It wrongly limits the removal to only ward panch and sarpanch, although the given amendment explanation covers all listed panchayat posts.
- (B) It leaves out ward panch, panchayat samiti member, zila parishad member and district head, even though the removal is not confined to sarpanch and pradhan.
- (D) It wrongly narrows the change to only the upper-tier posts of zila parishad member and district head, while the removal applies from ward panch upwards across the listed panchayat offices.
Concept
This tests local self-government under the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj framework, especially qualifications and disqualifications for elected panchayat offices. Such amendments recur in RAS because they link state legislation, grassroots democracy and eligibility rules for local bodies.