The Rajasthan High Court on Thursday, 16 July directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to announce the schedule for Panchayat and Urban Local Body elections within five days, warning that contempt proceedings may be initiated over the commission's failure to comply with its earlier directives. The order came from a Division Bench presided over by Acting Chief Justice S.P. Sharma and Justice Sanjeet Purohit at the Jaipur bench.

Key Directions from the Court

The Division Bench issued a parallel directive to the Rajasthan state government, ordering it to announce by Monday the timeline for submission of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) Commission's report, along with the draw of lots required for reservation of seats. State Election Commissioner Rajeshwar Singh and the Member Secretary of the OBC Commission were both present during the hearing.

Expressing sharp dissatisfaction with the prolonged delay, the Bench directly asked the State Election Commissioner: 'Why should contempt proceedings not be initiated against you?'

What the Election Commission Said

In response, the Election Commissioner told the court that the Commission was fully prepared to conduct the polls but had been held back by the state government's failure to provide the reservation classification. 'We are fully prepared. The government has not yet provided us with the reservation classification. Once the government completes the lottery process and hands it over to us, we can initiate the election process within two days,' he submitted before the Bench.

The court also pressed for an explanation on the OBC Commission's delayed report, noting that the body had been constituted on 9 May 2025 for a three-month term. 'If you are unable to complete the task, you should say so,' the Bench remarked.

Background: A Deadline Already Missed

The High Court had, in its 22 May order, directed both the state government and the SEC to complete the entire Panchayat and Urban Local Body election process by 31 July 2026. As of the latest hearing, the election process had not yet begun — making the July 31 deadline increasingly difficult to meet.

This is not the first time the court has expressed frustration. During earlier hearings, the Bench had observed that timely local body elections are a constitutional requirement, not a discretionary matter for the state. It had also warned that if the SEC continued to fail in discharging its responsibilities, the court could appoint an independent authority to oversee the election process entirely.

What Happens Next

The state government now faces a Monday deadline to declare the OBC Commission report timeline, while the SEC must announce the election schedule within five days. Failure to comply risks formal contempt proceedings against the Election Commissioner. The court has also indicated that stricter orders could follow if its directions remain unimplemented. With 31 July 2026 looming as the outer deadline, the window for holding elections is narrowing rapidly.