UP Law Commission submits draft population control bill, report to CM Adityanath

PTI, Aug 17, 2021, 5:25 PM IST

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh State Law Commission has submitted to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath the draft population control bill and made a slew of recommendations, including additional incentives to public servants for adopting the one-child norm and banning those who violate the two-child policy from contesting local bodies polls.

The recommendations were made in the 19th report on Population Control, Stabilisation and Welfare which, along with the draft of The Uttar Pradesh Population Control, Stabilisation and Welfare Bill, 2021, was handed over by Uttar Pradesh Law Commission chairperson Justice (retd) AN Mittal to the chief minister.

“The report was submitted yesterday (to the UP Chief Minister),” Mittal told PTI on Tuesday.

However, it is still unclear whether the Bill will be tabled in the current Monsoon session of the state legislature.

When contacted by PTI, UP Legislative and Justice minister Brijesh Pathak refused to comment on this issue.

According to the salient features of the report, the Commission recommended that a specific card should be issued to the person adopting two-child or one-child norm that should be valid proof to obtain the incentives so that the beneficiary is not required to run from pillar to post to prove eligibility.

Specific law should be enacted regarding control and stabilisation of population in Uttar Pradesh, the report said, adding that the proposed legislation should have an overriding effect on other laws that are in force in the state.

It is also proposed that the subject of population control be included in the school curriculum so that proper education, as well as guidance, may be provided at the school age.

The success of any policy depends upon incentives and disincentives. Therefore, to control the population certain incentives to public servants who adopt the two-child norm and additional incentives to those who adopt the one-child policy should be provided, according to the report.

Special benefits should be provided to married couples having only one child in the shape of a one-time lump sum amount as may be notified by the state government, it said.

There should also be a provision for revocation of benefits and disincentives for those who do not follow the two-child norm.

There should be a provision for bar on contesting election to local bodies on who-so-ever breaches the two-child norm or has children in excess of the two-child norm and they shall be ineligible for being chosen as, or for being a member of any elective office under any local authority or public corporation, according to the report.

In the proposed law, various incentives and disincentives and bars are being provided, which may be in contravention of some laws in force in Uttar Pradesh. Therefore, in the opinion of the Commission, the provisions of this proposed law should have an overriding effect, the report said

BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh”s move for a population control law has reignited the debate on the issue in the country.