Rajasthan’s Panchayats and urban local bodies have been without elected representatives for several months. The election process has not started despite a High Court directive to complete polls by July 31. No poll notification has been issued yet, and the process seems stuck in paperwork and blame-shifting.
The State Election Commission is awaiting reservation details, while the state government says finalizing reservations for SCs, STs, and women depends on determining the OBC quota. The OBC Commission is still gathering district-level data for this purpose. The High Court had initially ordered elections by April 15, extended to July 31 upon the government’s request.
With less than two months left, the electoral process is far from completion, leading to a new court intervention. A contempt petition has been filed for not holding elections despite judicial orders. The issue of delay persists as various entities pass the responsibility back and forth.
Former State Election Commissioner Madhukar Gupta emphasizes that local body elections are not optional and should not be delayed. He compares elections to examinations, stating their mandatory nature. Gupta highlights instances where other states conducted local body polls under court pressure.
Former Chief Secretary and State Election Commissioner Indrajit Khanna warns that delaying local body elections creates an unconstitutional scenario. He stresses the importance of timely elections for the functioning of democracy, amidst government changes and legal interventions.
