Jaipur: After multiple missed deadlines and months of back and forth on an issue that triggered strong judicial reprimand, the state govt Monday finally submitted a detailed timeline before the Rajasthan High Court for conducting the long-delayed panchayat and urban local body elections.According to the govt’s submission before the court, the polls are to be completed in two phases by Nov 15. Urban local body polls are to be completed by Sept 20, followed by panchayat elections, which are to conclude by Nov 15.In an affidavit filed through advocate general Rajendra Prasad, the govt informed the high court that updated population data on reserved categories will be submitted to the OBC Commission by Aug 5, and reservation of seats for SCs, STs, OBCs and women will be finalised by Aug 15.The State Election Commission (SEC) is expected to complete the poll process within three months of that date.A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Sanjeet Purohit recorded the govt’s submissions while hearing a contempt petition filed by former legislator Sanyam Lodha, who alleged wilful disobedience of the court’s earlier directives on the matter.Counsel for the petitioner, Punit Singhvi, told TOI that the govt has assured the court that preparations have been made to complete all steps related to the elections within the fixed timeframe.Monday’s submission came after the high court, on July 16, directed the SEC to finalise the election schedule for panchayat and urban local bodies by July 20.Earlier, in Nov 2025, the court had directed the govt and the SEC to complete the elections by April 15. After that deadline was missed, the court had set a fresh deadline for the conduct of polls by July 31. On July 16, however, the state govt sought more time, citing delay in the OBC Commission’s report on seat reservations.The govt had argued that with nearly 50% of Rajasthan’s population falling in the OBC category, constitutionally valid political reservation for OBCs must be finalised before announcing the election schedule.GRAPHICS:The high court had directed the state on Nov 14, 2025, to complete the elections by April 15, 2026.The Supreme Court upheld that order on Dec 19, 2025, after which Lodha initiated contempt proceedings alleging continued non-complianceOn July 6, former Congress MLA Sanyam Lodha moved the Rajasthan High Court with a contempt petition against the state govt and the State Election Commission (SEC)He alleges wilful disobedience of court directions mandating timely elections to Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs)
