Rajasthan High Court Reprimands Officials Over Panchayat Election Delay, Demands Timeline

The Rajasthan High Court has taken a very strict stand regarding the ongoing delays in conducting Panchayat and local body elections in the state. During a hearing on Wednesday, a division bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Sanjeet Purohit heard a petition concerning the election schedule. The court expressed its dissatisfaction with the pace of the process and issued stern instructions to both the State Election Commission and the OBC Commission, while the court has demanded a specific time-frame for conducting the elections and for the submission of the OBC Commission's report. The next hearing for this significant matter has been scheduled for July 20.

Presence of Key Officials in Court

Adopting a tough tone, the High Court had previously ordered the State Election Commissioner and the Secretary of the OBC Commission to be personally present in the courtroom. The court had made it clear that all relevant state government officials associated with these elections must attend the hearing. Complying with these directions, State Election Commissioner Rajeshwar Singh and OBC Commission Member Secretary Ashok Kumar Jain were present during the proceedings to answer the court's queries regarding the administrative hurdles causing the delay.

Statements from the State Election Commissioner

During the hearing, State Election Commissioner Rajeshwar Singh informed the bench that the OBC Commission had sent a letter stating they would present their report by August 14. He clarified that the State Election Commission has already completed the necessary preparations for the elections, including the publication of voter lists. However, the process is currently stalled as they're waiting for the OBC Commission's report to determine the reservation of seats. Singh stated that if the government provides the reservation classification and conducts the lottery, the commission is capable of issuing the election notification within 2 days.

OBC Commission's Justification and Court's Anger

On the other hand, the Secretary of the OBC Commission explained to the court that the data they initially received was insufficient to finalize the report. Consequently, the commission is currently conducting a survey, which requires additional time. This explanation didn't sit well with the High Court. The bench expressed its anger, questioning how the commission could propose a date of August 14 when the court had already given instructions to complete the elections by July 31. The court pointed out that the commission was formed on May 9 2025 for a period of 3 months, and questioned why the report had not been submitted yet, suggesting that if they were unable to perform the task, they should have declined it.

Warning of Contempt Proceedings

The High Court further addressed the State Election Commissioner, suggesting that elections could potentially be conducted even without the OBC Commission's report. The bench questioned why the process of drawing lotteries had not commenced. The court warned the officials, asking why contempt proceedings shouldn't be initiated against them for the delay, while the judges reminded the commissioner that even when a previous date of April 15 was set, the commission had released a schedule that went beyond that deadline, indicating a perceived disregard for judicial orders. The court emphasized that this attitude was unacceptable and that a firm date for the elections is mandatory.

Demand for a Fixed Timeline

In response to the court's observations, the State Election Commissioner noted that while they could proceed as per the court's orders, the state government must first conduct the lottery for seat reservations. He reiterated that the lack of reservation classification from the government is the primary bottleneck. Representing the state government, the Advocate General requested time until Monday to provide a clear response. The court has now directed the OBC Commission to provide a fixed date for its report on Monday, explicitly stating that the date can't be August 14. On top of that, the State Election Commission must provide the dates for the lottery and the elections. All concerned officials have been ordered to remain present for the hearing on Monday. It's noteworthy that in an order dated May 22 2026, the High Court had directed that all local body elections, including Gram Panchayats and urban bodies, must be completed by July 31 2026. As the deadline approached, the state government had filed an application seeking an extension of the time limit.