The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to entertain a plea challenging the Manipur High Court's decision extending the deadline for conducting panchayat elections in the state until October 16, 2026.
A partial working day Bench of Justices N Kotiswar Singh and N V Anjaria dismissed the appeal filed by Pheiroijam Heramani and others against the high court's May 19, 2026 order.
During the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Manipur government, submitted that the state was bound by the high court's directions and could face contempt proceedings if local body elections were not held.
Finding no grounds to intervene, the apex court said there was no merit in the appeal to interfere with the high court order.
The high court had extended the deadline for conducting the sixth general panchayat elections to October 16, while also paving the way for the state to implement a three-tier panchayati raj system in line with recent legislative amendments.
The Bench of Chief Justice M Sundar and Justice A Guneshwar Sharma passed the order while deciding review petitions filed by the Manipur government against its August 2025 judgment, which had directed the state to conduct panchayat elections within six months.
The state had argued that the prevailing law and order situation and the imposition of President's Rule in February 2025 made it impracticable to hold elections within the original timeline.
Taking note of these "extraordinary circumstances," the high court modified its earlier order, granting the state government and the State Election Commission time until October 16, 2026, to complete the electoral process.
(With inputs from PTI)