Three kids too much for Haryana councillor

HISAR, OCTOBER 6: It may not be top-of-the-mind for politicians in other states, but at least one member of the Haryana Municipal Council ...

HISAR, OCTOBER 6: It may not be top-of-the-mind for politicians in other states, but at least one member of the Haryana Municipal Council (HMC) takes the two-child norm very seriously. And has demanded that the council’s president, Hanuman Prasad be disqualified for fathering a third child.

Councillor Yashvir Goel has petitioned the council’s Deputy Commissioner, demanding that Prasad be barred from functioning as president and council member for his oversight. “He has lost the legal right to continue in this post,” fumed Goel. The petition has been filed under Section 13a(c) of Haryana Municipal Act, 1973, and the Deputy Commissioner has issued a notice to the president for October 10.

Goel contended that when Prasad was filing nomination papers for councillorship, he had declared that he had only twin daughters, Parul and Diksha, who were born on January 21, 1995 in Delhi. But Prasad’s wife gave birth to another child after he was sworn in as president, alleged Goel.

“A member of the municipal council incurs disqualification if he has more than two living children after one year of coming into force of the amendment in the Act regarding more than two children,” he maintained.

Hanuman Prasad said he had not yet personally seen the notice. He admitted that he fathered three children, but added that only two were living with him. One of the twins had been legally adopted by his sister barely a few days after they were born, he said.