The Rajasthan Cabinet on Wednesday approved the introduction of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, Rajasthan Municipalities (Amendment) Bill, 2026, to abolish three-decade-old restrictions on people with more than two children from contesting elections to panchayats and urban local bodies. This restriction was imposed during the tenure of then Prime Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat about 30 years ago.
Deputy Chief Minister Prem Chand Berwa, who addressed the media after the Cabinet meeting with Ministers Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and Gugaram Patil, said Section 19 of the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, and Section 24 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009, will be amended to remove the disqualification clause related to having more than two children.
The restriction was imposed in the early 1990s when population control was a pressing concern, and the state’s fertility rate was 3.6 between 1991 and 1994, they said. They added that the fertility rate had fallen to about 2.
The state cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma also approved amendment to Section 24 of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, in compliance with the Supreme Court ruling by removing “leprosy” from the category of disqualifying diseases.
It authorized the formation of a new Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Economic Crimes by restructuring the current Directorate of State Revenue Intelligence. Bairua said the new body would strengthen financial discipline and take strict action against economic crimes.
The Directorate will investigate crimes such as real estate fraud, financial crimes linked to banks, insurance companies and the stock market, multi-level marketing scams, fake bankruptcies, fake recruitment agencies, fraudulent job or admission rackets, etc. It will address illegal encroachments or sale of government land, stamp and registration violations, shell companies, cooperative society scams, and tax evasion.
The Cabinet approved the Rajasthan Industrial Park Promotion Policy, 2026, Rajasthan Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy University, Ajmer, Bhil. Rajasthan currently has one Ayurveda University in Jodhpur.
Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot urged the government to look beyond “paper claims” and focus on ground realities, saying people were facing difficulties due to delays and stalling of public projects.
