Uttarakhand Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Act, 2019

The act states that anyone having more than two living children will be ineligible to contest the panchayat elections. The educational qualification for the contesting candidates differs along the lines of caste and gender. The two-children norm has seen a fallout in the earlier implementation in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.

This norm is a clear violation of basic human rights as it tends to victimise the weaker and vulnerable sections of society. Women, as a class, are the ones who will be most affected by this act. On the one hand, the state tries to exhibit its progressive side by talking about the empowerment of women. On the other hand, it tries to limit the same by the implementation of various laws and bills.