Rajasthan HC issues contempt notices over delay in panchayat, local body elections

The Rajasthan High Court on Thursday issued contempt notices to the State Election Commission (SEC) and Election Commissioner Rajeshwar Singh, taking exception to the delay in conducting Panchayati Raj and urban local body elections despite its previous order. The High Court had on November 14, 2025 directed the State government to hold these polls by April 15.

A Division Bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma, questioned how the SEC had released a schedule for revision of voter list extending beyond the timeline fixed by the court. While issuing show cause notices, the court sought a detailed response from the Commission within four weeks.

The petition seeking initiation of contempt proceedings was moved by former MLA Sanyam Lodha, who was one of the original petitioners in the case. After the High Court gave direction for completing the delimitation process by December 31, 2025, and holding elections, the Supreme Court had upheld the timeline and cleared the way for conducting the polls.

As per the SEC’s schedule, the final electoral rolls for local body elections will be published on April 22. Mr. Lodha’s counsel, Punit Singhvi, contended that this timeline had effectively ruled out the possibility of completing elections by April 15, the deadline set by the court.

“The State government and the SEC are deliberately delaying the elections, which amounts to wilful disobedience of the High Court’s order and contempt of court,” Mr. Singhvi said. Advocate General Rajendra Prasad said during the hearing that the State government intended to postpone the elections and move an application seeking the court’s permission.

Responding to the Advocate General’s argument, the Bench observed that this was a matter to be addressed later. “For now, the Commission is supposed to explain why it announced the voter list review programme beyond the deadline fixed by the court,” the Bench said.

In its November 14, 2025 order, the High Court had decided a batch of 439 petitions and directed the State government to complete the delimitation process by December 31, 2025, and conduct elections by April 15, 2026.

The Opposition Congress has launched a State-wide campaign targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party government over the delay in holding the polls and alleged that the postponement of elections amounted to an attack on democracy. The Congress leaders said the BJP feared its defeat in the elections because of its “misgovernance” during the last two and a half years.

The State government has also extended the tenure of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) Political Representation Commission till September 30. The reservation of seats in the panchayat and local body polls will be determined on the basis of the commission’s report.