Rajasthan panchayat, ULB polls: State govt submits schedule to High Court
Jaipur, July 20
The Rajasthan government, led by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, has finally outlined the road map for the long-pending Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Body elections before the High Court, following the court's insistence on a clear election timeline.
According to the schedule submitted by the Rajasthan government, the process will begin in August, with Urban Local Body elections to be notified on August 17, followed by the Panchayat elections notification on September 23.
The Urban Local Body polls will be conducted first, followed by the Panchayat elections. During the hearing, the BJP government in Rajasthan informed the court that a high-level meeting was convened on July 19 under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, in compliance with the High Court's July 16 directions.
The meeting was attended by officials from the State Election Commission, OBC Commission, Department of Local Self-Government, and Panchayati Raj Department.
It was decided that the OBC Commission will submit its report by August 5, reservation for SCs, STs, OBCs, and women through the lottery process will be completed by August 15 and the State Election Commission will thereafter initiate the election process.
While hearing the matter, the High Court sought a definite schedule instead of a broad assurance from the government.
In response, the government informed the court that Notification for Urban Local Body elections will be made by August 17 and by September 23, notification for Panchayat elections will be made.
As per the government's plan, the State Election Commission will conduct the elections within 90 days of completing the reservation process.
If the High Court approves the proposed schedule, polling for Panchayat and Urban Local Body elections is likely to be completed in multiple phases by November 15.
The matter reached the High Court after separate Public Interest Litigations (PILs) challenged the delay in conducting local body and Panchayat elections were filed.
The PIL on delayed Panchayat elections was filed by Girraj Singh Devanda. The petition regarding delayed Urban Local Body elections was filed by former MLA Sanyam Lodha.
The High Court has been closely monitoring the matter to ensure timely elections in accordance with constitutional provisions.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good that they're starting with ULB polls first. But why did it take a High Court intervention? The government should have been proactive about this from the beginning. Elections are the backbone of our democracy.
Hope the OBC Commission submits its report on time and the reservation process is fair. These elections matter a lot for our villages and towns. Let's see if November 15 deadline holds! 🗳️
Why is the government dragging its feet on local elections? This is basic governance. The High Court has to remind them of constitutional duties—that's worrying. But at least Now we have a timeline.
Great news for Rajasthan! As someone living in a small town, panchayat elections directly affect our daily lives—roads, water, schools. I just hope the multiple phases don't create confusion.
I'm cautiously optimistic. The government says it will complete elections by November 15, but with reservation lotteries and OBC report deadlines, there's room for more delays. Let's see how committed they are.
Kudos to the High Court for pushing this! We need strong local governance. Also, reservation for women and OBCs is crucial—our villages need diverse voices. 👍
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.