HC issues notice to central government on plea to curb population

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the central government to file a response on a plea seeking implementation of a proposal by the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (NCRWC) on population control and a 'two-child norm' as a criteria for government jobs, aid and subsidies.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Brijesh Sethi issued notice to the Centre and listed the matter for September 3.

The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, seeking direction to the Centre to ascertain the feasibility of implementing the 24th recommendation of the NCRWC (Justice Venkatchaliah Commission) on population control.

In his plea, Upadhyay said the right to clean air, drinking water, health, peaceful sleep, shelter, livelihood and education could not be secured for citizens without effective population control.

Stating that the government has not implemented the NCRWC proposals, the petitioner sought withdrawal of statutory rights like the right to vote, contest elections and own property.

Upadhyay requested the court to direct the government to spread awareness about population explosion and provide contraceptive pill, condoms and vaccines to economically weaker sections and below poverty line families.

He also sought direction to the Law Commission to prepare a comprehensive report on population explosion within three months.

He said India accounted for only 2 per cent of agriculture land and 4 per cent drinking water but the population was 20 per cent of the world.

If India was compared with China, then India's agricultural area was only one-third of that country while the rate of population growth three times that of China, he said.

"The population explosion is the root cause of most of our problems like shortage of water, forests, land, cloth, house, poverty, employment, hunger and malnutrition," the petitioner said.

He said population explosion also led to crime.