HC stays Dhami govt’s three-tier panchayat poll plan over reservations

The Nainital High Court on Monday stayed the three-tier panchayat elections announced by Uttarakhand State Election Commission(SEC) on June 21, 2025.

The court issued the stay citing the state government’s failure to convince it on its reservation policy for rural bodies’ elections, scheduled to be held on July 10 and 10.

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Hearing a petition as on the state government’s alleged unclear reservation for panchayat bodies’ elections, the high court stated that electioneering works cannot proceed unless the government clarifies its reservation policy.

The court ordered the state government to clarify its reservation policy in the next hearing after two days.

The petitioner had alleged in the court that polls cannot take place in the absence of proper reservation schedule and its gazette notification by the government.

The stay on the elections came at a time when the Uttarakhand State Election Commission has already begun preparations for panchayat elections, announcing poll dates for 12 districts.

The high court order has emboldened the Opposition Congress party that had accused the government of arbitrariness and irregularities in panchayat poll reservation policy.

Meanwhile, responding to the high court directive, the state government said the process of gazette notification of reservation plan is being processed. Secretary, Panchayati Raj Chandresh Kumar, informed that the process of gazette notification of reservation schedule and norms for three-tier panchayat elections is underway.

He stated that the high court has stayed it through its interim order on the current reservation process. “Full compliance with the Court order is being ensured. Gazette notification for the reservation Rules 2025 is under process at the Government Press, Roorkee. It will soon be presented before the high court,” he added.