JAIPUR: In a fresh move, the Rajasthan government has approached the High Court to seek an extension of the deadline to conduct Panchayat and urban local body elections which the court had earlier directed to be held by April 15, 2026.
Citing administrative, legal, and seasonal constraints, the Bhajan Lal government in its petition said it’s not feasible to hold elections in the coming months under the prevailing circumstances.
Appearing on behalf of the state government, Advocate General Rajendra Prasad submitted that the process of determining reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) is still pending. The petition highlighted that Articles 243-D and 243-T of the Constitution mandate reservation for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, women, and OBCs in local bodies.
Since the OBC quota is yet to be finalised, the Rajasthan government argues that elections cannot be conducted at this stage. The OBC Commission’s report is expected by September 30, following which reservation will be determined and elections notified.
The plea comes in response to Public Interest Litigations (PILs) filed by former MLAs Sanyam Lodha and Girraj Devanda. Acting on a contempt petition on this issue, the High Court had in early April, issued notices to the State Election Commission and the State Election Commissioner.
Besides triggering a legal and political confrontation, delays in the long-pending Panchayati Raj and urban local body elections had led the Rajasthan HC to issue a contempt notice to the State Election Commission (SEC) and its chief Rajeshwar Singh for failing to meet the court-mandated deadline of 15 April.
In its defence, the Rajasthan government also cited logistical challenges, stating that around 1.26 lakh personnel would be required for urban local body polls and nearly 2.5 lakh for Panchayati Raj elections, with about 70% drawn from the education sector. With the academic session having begun on April 1, deploying such a large workforce would disrupt schooling.
Additionally, the state pointed to extreme summer conditions in May and June, followed by monsoon and agricultural activities between July and September, arguing that these factors make election conduct impractical and unsafe.
It further noted that the tenure of several Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads will expire between September and December 2026, and the State Election Commission requires at least three months to complete the electoral process. The government has thus sought adequate time to ensure compliance with constitutional provisions.
Advocate Premchand Devanda, associated with the case, said a Division Bench had earlier directed the state on November 14, 2025, to complete the elections by April 15, 2026, in a petition filed by Giriraj Singh. The government’s failure to meet this deadline has now led to the present application seeking an extension.
The issue has already triggered political reactions. Rajasthan Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra urged the High Court to ensure timely elections.
In a post on X, he accused the BJP government of failing to meet the April 15 deadline and termed the delay as ‘undemocratic’. The Congress claims that the delay in elections undermines grassroots democracy and hampers the state’s development.