Lucknow, June 3: The Allahabad High Court‘s Lucknow bench has expressed strong discontent regarding the delay in Panchayat elections in Uttar Pradesh and the state government’s decision to extend the tenure of village heads. The court emphasized that the tenure of Panchayati Raj institutions is constitutionally fixed and cannot be extended under any circumstances.
During the hearing, the court directed the State Election Commission to present a clear and detailed schedule for the Panchayat elections by July 10. Additionally, the commission formed to address issues related to OBC reservations was also ordered to submit its report on time.
Senior advocate Dr. Amarendra Nath Tripathi informed that the matter was brought before the court on Tuesday, where the court instructed the state government’s lawyer to obtain necessary directives from the government for the next hearing. The case was subsequently listed for further hearing on Wednesday.
In Wednesday’s proceedings, the government lawyer informed the court that an OBC commission had been established on May 19, with a six-month tenure. The government argued that the commission would prepare its report within six months, and decisions regarding OBC reservations for the Panchayat elections would be based on that report. The government contended that the election process could only proceed after the report was received.
However, the High Court was not satisfied with this argument and expressed strong displeasure. The court stated that, according to constitutional provisions, the tenure of Gram Panchayats is five years and cannot be extended under any circumstances. It noted that the tenure of the Gram Panchayats had already expired on May 26, and therefore, the administrative setup could not be prolonged without conducting elections.
The court also remarked that it was the government’s responsibility to ensure that new Panchayat elections were conducted and new bodies formed before the tenure expired. The court commented that if the formation of the OBC commission was necessary, it should have been done earlier to avoid disrupting the election process.
In a stern remark regarding the government’s attitude, the court stated that delays in constitutional processes are unacceptable. It reiterated that the Panchayat is the most fundamental yet crucial unit of democracy, and any vacancy cannot be tolerated.
Following the hearing, the court issued a clear order for the State Election Commission to present the complete election schedule by July 10, and the OBC commission was also directed to submit its report by the same date.