In a significant announcement, the State Election Commission of Rajasthan has stated that the Panchayat and Urban Local Body (ULB) elections in the state will not be conducted by July 31. The Commission mentioned that it would need a minimum of 90 days to organize elections for both Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies. This timeline is contingent on the finalization of reservation quotas for SCs, STs, OBCs, and women by the Rajasthan government.
The Rajasthan High Court had previously instructed the State Election Commission to finish elections for both Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies by July 31. However, due to the pending finalization of reservation quotas for the OBC category, meeting this deadline seems unlikely. The Panchayati Raj Department has informed the Election Commission that the OBC Commission is anticipated to submit its reservation report by August 14, 2026.
Once the reservation report is received, the department aims to settle reservation quotas for all categories by August 31. Only after this process is concluded can the Election Commission commence preparations for the polls. The State Election Commission has indicated that upon the finalization of reservation quotas and the issuance of the official election notification by the department, it will need 90 days to complete the entire electoral process.
The Commission estimates that Panchayat elections will span around 50 days and are likely to be conducted in four phases due to the increased number of Panchayats and logistical demands. Urban Local Body elections are projected to last approximately 40 days and will be conducted in two phases. Responding to this delay, Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee President, Govind Singh Dotasra, criticized the continuous postponement of local elections, accusing the BJP government of intentional delays in the electoral process.
