Rajasthan HC to Hear Poll Delay Contempt Plea on May 18

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan High Court on Wednesday fixed May 18 for hearing a contempt petition filed by former MLA Sanyam Lodha over the delay in holding elections to urban local bodies and panchayati raj institutions.

The court said it will first hear the state govt’s application seeking more time to conduct panchayat and municipal elections.

The state, in an application filed on April 13, said it could not comply with the high court’s November 14 order directing that the elections be completed by April 15. It cited delays in the OBC Commission report, pending litigation over delimitation and related issues, large-scale manpower requirements, and adverse weather conditions.

The govt said the tenure of several panchayat samitis and zila parishads will end between Sept and Dec, and the State Election Commission would need at least three months to issue notifications and complete the process. The OBC Commission report is expected by Sept 30.

Hearing the matter, the division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Shubha Mehta ordered that Lodha’s contempt petition be taken up on May 18.