Raj HC asks state govt to conduct Panchayat, Municipal polls by July 31, 2026

The Rajasthan High Court on Friday directed the state government to conduct elections for the Panchayat Raj institutions and the civic bodies by July 31, 2026.

A bench headed by acting Chief Justice of the court, Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma passed the verdict after hearing petitions filed by former MLA Sanyam Lodha and others. They complained of the government’s failure to hold the polls in the panchayats and the urban civic bodies by the April 15 deadline, which the court set in its November 14, 2025, order.

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The petitioners complained that the terms of most panchayats and urban civic bodies had expired long ago and the high court had directed them to complete the election process by April 15, 2026. Despite this, the government did not initiate even the proper preparations. The process they started also exceeds beyond the deadline allowed by the court. The deadline process set by the state election commission for its related also exceeded the court’s deadline.

The bench had taken serious exception to the government’s failure, however, the state government pleaded that the process of survey for collecting OBCs data by the state OBCs commission and delay in submission of the panel’s report to the government caused the delay in elections.

The government has sought time, until December 2026, for holding the polls.
Finally, the court had completed hearing in the case on May 11, 2026 and kept the verdict reserved.

Today, while pronouncing the order, the bench asked the state for conducting the elections by July 31, 3026.