BENGALURU: The State Election Commission (SEC) moved the High Court of Karnataka with a public interest litigation against the State Government, alleging that the state is yet to provide the final reservation notification to conduct the elections to 5,950 Gram Panchayats for which the term will expire by January 2026, despite several letters being written.
It was contended by the SEC that there is a constitutional mandate on it to conduct elections within the stipulated period. However, the delay by the state would result in the appointment of administrators, thereby not only violating the mandate contained under Article 243-E of the Constitution but also the law laid down by the Supreme Court, the SEC told the HC.
A division bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice CM Poonacha issued notice to the chief secretary and additional chief secretary (ACS), Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Department, after hearing the petition filed by the SEC, represented by its under secretary.
The SEC stated that a letter dated May 7, 2025, was written to the ACS informing them that the State Government was required to fix the number of elected members of GPs and determine the reservations for various categories. It was also informed that in light of the formation of new taluks in the state and upgradation of certain GPs as smaller urban areas, the reconstitution of 42
GPs, fixation of the total number of elected members of such GPs, and reservations for various categories were pending with the State Government since 2020.
The SEC further requested the ACS to issue appropriate directives to deputy commissioners across the state to publish the notification providing reservation for various categories as stipulated under Section 5(5) of the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act, 1993, by following the principles of rotation and furnish the same to it before July 2025.
As there was no response, the SEC again addressed a letter dated June 26, 2025, to the chief secretary, intimating that the tenure of GPs was expiring in January 2026 and requesting to issue directives to the RDPR to issue the notification indicating the seats reserved for various categories.
“Though the State Election Commission has been repeatedly requesting the State Government to furnish the final reservation notification, the same has not been published to date. This will lead to a delay in conducting elections and will pave the way for the appointment of administrators to such GPs.
Under such circumstances, the SEC is handicapped in taking further steps in the preparation, announcing, and conducting of the elections to GPs. Therefore, this petition has been filed seeking directives to the state to issue final notification of reservation of seats under Section 5(5) of the Act,” the State Election Commission told the court.