Jaipur, May 22 (Udaipur Kiran) — The Rajasthan High Court has directed the state government and the State Election Commission to conduct Panchayat and Urban Local Body elections in the state by July 31.
The court also instructed the OBC Commission to submit its report by June 20. The state government had sought time till December for conducting the elections.
The order was passed by a division bench headed by Acting Chief Justice S.P. Sharma, which had reserved its verdict on May 11 after completing the hearing.
Earlier, on November 14, 2025, the High Court had directed the state government to conduct Panchayat and civic body elections by April 15, 2026, while deciding 439 petitions related to the matter.
However, the government failed to conduct the elections within the stipulated period and later moved an application before the High Court seeking extension of time.
During the hearing, the government cited the pending OBC Commission report and other administrative circumstances as reasons for delaying the elections.
Former MLA Sanyam Lodha and Girraj Singh Devanda argued before the court that the government had been intentionally delaying the elections for nearly one-and-a-half years.
The state government had also argued that terms of several Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads were ending between September and December, and conducting elections together would support the concept of “One State-One Election.”
In its application, the government said it had made all possible efforts to comply with the court’s earlier order but conducting elections before April 15 was not feasible due to prevailing circumstances.
The government cited reasons including the pending OBC reservation report, availability of schools, staff, EVMs and other election resources while requesting the court to defer the elections.
The State Election Commission also supported the government’s stand before the court and said elections could not be conducted before determination of OBC reservation.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.