The Supreme Court issued notice to the Centre and six states on Monday saying those having more than two children should be barred from contesting parliamentary and assembly elections.

In what could prove unpopular among political leaders, a Bench comprising Chief Justice R C Lahoti and Justice D M Dharmadhikari issued the notices to Haryana, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh on a plea by Anil Kumar Haritash through counsel Ramesh Kumar Haritash.

The petition said the norm has been applicable to Panchayat elections and the same should be applicable to Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and assembly polls.

This move is significant as the Centre is proposing to drop the two-child norm from its action plan for controlling population.

Haritash said all the aforementioned states have implemented the Panchayati Raj Act, where the two-child norm has been put in practice.

He also cited the Supreme Court ruling upholding the two-child norm in panchayat elections.

Stressing on the uniform implementation of the norm, the petitioner said, politicians, being role models for society, should not be allowed to rob the prosperity of the society and deprive the future generation of their fundamental right due to uncontrolled population growth.