Supreme Court Approves Rajasthan Government's Two-Child Rule

People with more than two children will not be eligible for government jobs in Rajasthan -- this 1989 law of the state has now got the Supreme Court's seal of approval.

The rule is non-discriminatory, the judges said, hearing a petition challenging it.

It falls within the purview of policy and there is "no need to interfere with it," said the bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Dutta and KV Vishwanathan, in an order on February 20.

The bench upheld the decision of Rajasthan High Court of October 12, 2022, and dismissed the petition of former soldier Ramji Lal Jat.

After retirement from defence services in January 2017, the soldier had applied for the post of a constable in Rajasthan Police in May 2018.

But his application was rejected under the Rajasthan Police Subordinate Service Rules, 1989, as he had more than two children after 1 June 2002.

The court said it had earlier approved similar rules – meant to promote family planning -- for contestants of Panchayat elections.