India, Jan. 31 -- The Orissa High Court has reaffirmed the importance of family planning and population control while dismissing an appeal challenging the disqualification of a gram panchayat member for having more than two children.

A Division Bench comprising Justices Krishna Shripad Dixit and Chittaranjan Dash, in a recent judgment authored by Justice Dixit, upheld the termination of the appellant's membership under Section 25(1)(v) of the Odisha Grama Panchayats Act, 1964, which bars persons with more than two children from holding office in panchayati raj institutions.

The appellant had challenged a December 5, 2025, order of a single judge dismissing his writ petitions. He argued that he was entitled to protection under the provis...