Himachal Panchayat Polls Set for April 30 as Court Clears Path for Elections

The State Election Commission (SEC) said preparations are underway to conduct elections by April 30 in compliance with High Court directions.

Speaking to ANI on Saturday, Himachal Pradesh State Election Commissioner Anil Kumar Khachi said the matter of PRI elections had remained sub judice earlier, which is why polls were deferred, but clear directions have now been issued by the High Court.

"As you are aware, the matter was already under consideration of the court and therefore elections were delayed. On January 9, the High Court issued very clear orders. These orders say that by February 28, the reservation rosters and reorganisation, if any, including creation of new panchayats or reconstitution of existing ones, must be completed and reservation rosters published. Thereafter, elections must be completed by April 30," Khachi said.

He said the SEC has already completed most of the delimitation exercise. "From our side, delimitation of all panchayats has been completed. Out of 12 Zila Parishads, delimitation of 11 has been done. Similarly, delimitation of 90 out of 92 Panchayat Samitis has been completed," the Commissioner said.

Khachi explained that a separate court case related to Zila Parishad delimitation had resulted in the cancellation of a rule framed by the state government, making fresh delimitation necessary in some cases. "Some implications also arise for Panchayat Samitis where areas are increased or reduced, but this does not impact the general election in any manner," he added.

Referring to follow-up action after the High Court order of January 9, Khachi said, "On January 23, we held a meeting with the Panchayati Raj Department. The Secretary, Urban Local Bodies, was also present. I apprised them of the High Court orders and expressed hope that action would be taken strictly in accordance with the directions so that the election process is completed within time."

He said two key activities are currently underway, the most important being the publication of electoral rolls. "For panchayats, electoral rolls are published in Form 15 and for urban local bodies in Form 17. This publication is for public information so that people can check their names. Since elections have not yet been announced, anyone who feels their name should be included can apply even now by paying a nominal fee around Rs 2 or Rs 5 in panchayats, slightly higher in urban bodies," Khachi said.

He added that the SEC has already made electoral rolls available, as publication is a legal requirement. "The deadline given to departments was January 30. We are waiting for confirmation. It is possible that districts have completed the task, and information is yet to reach us. We are compiling the data, and a review meeting was held today itself in this regard," he said.

Khachi further said that the schedule for printing electoral rolls has already been issued. "Printers are pre-defined. Each district has been informed of the date by which electronic data has to be taken to the printer for printing. This is the immediate activity. After this, reservation rosters have to be issued. We have to finish this by the 30th. I cannot give an exact date right now, as several factors have to be examined before a decision is taken," he said.

The State Election Commissioner underlined that compliance with High Court directions is equally the responsibility of the state government. "The state government has been made abundantly clear about the directions of the Hon'ble High Court. The state government is a primary party in this matter, not just the Election Commission. It is as much the responsibility of the government as it is of the Commission, and government officers will also have to strictly comply with the court's orders," Khachi told ANI.

On the applicability of the Disaster Management Act, he said the issue has already been settled. "The High Court has already clarified that the Disaster Management Act, even if applicable, can be ignored by the State Election Commission for the purpose of conducting elections. After this, I do not need any further input because clear orders are already in place," he said.

Commenting on demands to bar persons involved in drug-related cases from contesting elections, Khachi said this falls within the domain of the state government. "Framing of election law is the prerogative of the state government, not the Election Commission. Our job is only to conduct elections in accordance with the law and rules available. I have nothing to say on what specific provisions should be included," he said.

Earlier, in a setback to the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government, the Himachal Pradesh High Court on January 9, 2026, directed the state to conduct elections to PRIs and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) by April 30, 2026, dismissing the government's attempt to defer polls by six months under the Disaster Management Act.

Disposing of a petition challenging the delay, the court mandated that all preparatory formalities, including delimitation and reservation, be completed by February 28. The state government had cited extensive damage to public and private property during the recent monsoon, pegged at over Rs 10,000 crore, and logistical hurdles such as blocked rural roads as reasons for postponement.

However, the court rejected the plea, noting constraints posed by school board examinations in March and deployment of staff for the national census in May.

Himachal Pradesh has 3,577 Gram Panchayats, 90 Panchayat Samitis and 11 Zila Parishads, all of whose tenures expired on January 31, 2026. The terms of 71 urban local bodies are also nearing completion, with 50 of them having ended on January 18.

- ANI