Bhubaneswar, January 30 : The Orissa High Court has upheld the two-child rule for Panchayat members, reaffirming its importance in controlling population growth and promoting family planning. The Court dismissed an appeal from a former gram panchayat member who was disqualified for having more than two children.

A Division Bench, led by Justices Krishna Shripad Dixit and Chittaranjan Dash, confirmed the disqualification under the Odisha Grama Panchayats Act, 1964, which prohibits individuals with more than two children from holding office.

The appellant’s argument that his third and fourth children were born before the policy was implemented in 1994 was rejected. The Court clarified that the policy applied to all children born after the amendment.

Justice Dixit, in his judgment, emphasized the urgent need for population control, linking it to constitutional values and sustainable development. Citing international reports and earlier court decisions, he noted the negative effects of overpopulation on resources and socio-economic progress.

The Court stressed that elected representatives should set an example by adhering to family planning norms, concluding, "If they violate the norm, what example can they set?"