The Rajasthan High Court has reprimanded the state government and Election Commission for the delay in Panchayati Raj elections, warning it will appoint judges to conduct the polls if they fail to do so.
The Rajasthan High Court has taken a very strict stance regarding the long-pending elections for Panchayati Raj institutions and urban local bodies in the state. The court expressed deep displeasure over the continuous delay and administrative laxity in conducting the elections.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Sanjit Purohit issued a stern warning to the State Election Commission and concerned officials.
In a verbal remark, the court went so far as to say that if the responsible agencies are unable to conduct the elections on time, the High Court will appoint judges at its own level to complete the process.
During the hearing, the court made it clear that the process of postponing elections will no longer be tolerated. The court has directed the state government and the Election Commission to prepare a roadmap for the election dates by the upcoming Monday (July 20, 2026).
Along with this, strict instructions have also been given to submit the OBC Commission's report and conduct the reservation lottery. The court has ordered all responsible officials to be personally present in court on Monday with complete information.
The hearing was on a petition filed by the state government. The government had pleaded with the court to extend the deadline of its previous order to conduct elections by July 31, 2026.
The government argued that it was not practically possible to hold elections within this timeframe as the report on OBC political reservation was not ready. However, instead of accepting this request, the court reprimanded the officials.
State Election Commissioner Rajeshwar Singh, appearing via video conferencing, admitted his fault for the delay in the elections. He stated that all preparations, including the availability of EVMs and voter lists, are 100% complete.
Explaining the reason for the delay, he said that the Panchayati Raj Department and the Self-Governance Department have not yet provided the necessary information related to SC, ST, OBC, and women's reservation. Despite writing 6 letters for this data, no response has been received.
When the court asked Ashok Jain, secretary of the OBC (Political) Commission, for how long the commission was formed, he replied that it was constituted in May 2025 for only 3 months. The court expressed sharp displeasure, stating that a task that should have been completed in 3 months has taken over a year, and they have still failed to conduct the elections.
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