In Jharkhand, a person with more than two children will not be allowed to contest municipal elections. As the State Election Commission begins preparations for the upcoming civic elections, it has issued detailed guidelines to districts regarding candidate eligibility. According to the notification, candidates who have more than two children, and whose last child was born after February 9, 2013, will not be eligible to contest.

Commission Secretary Radheshyam Prasad has instructed all districts to follow these guidelines. Candidates will only be disqualified if the number of their children has increased after February 9, 2013. If a person had more than two children on or before that date and has not had any more children since, they will still be allowed to contest.

Twins to be counted as total number of children

The rules also state that adopted children and twins will be counted in the total number of children. Candidates must submit a self-declaration form stating they do not have more than two children, and this form must be attached with their nomination papers.

The Commission has directed that all preparations for the elections be carried out under the Jharkhand Municipal Act, 2011. For the first time, elections to all municipal bodies will be held simultaneously in the state. The guidelines also specify that if a candidate provides false information in the affidavit or self-declaration, their nomination will be canceled.

Tax Compliance Mandatory

Candidates will also need to clear all outstanding taxes, fees, or rent before filing their nomination. Any dues pending before February 9, 2013, will not attract compound interest, but payment of the principal amount along with simple interest will be mandatory. All candidates must ensure their taxes are paid up to the financial year 2024-25 in order to be eligible to contest the elections.