Today, On 25th June, the Telangana High Court directed the state government to conduct local body elections within three months. The order came while hearing multiple petitions about the delay in gram panchayat polls.
Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has instructed the state government to organize local body elections within three months.
Justice T. Madhavi Devi delivered the ruling on a series of petitions concerning the delay in holding gram panchayat elections.
The court mandated that the state government and the State Election Commission (SEC) complete the elections by September 30, rejecting claims that additional time was needed to initiate the election process.
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The judge emphasized the necessity of completing the division of wards within 30 days and ensuring the election process is finalized by the stipulated date.
Former sarpanches had filed petitions urging prompt elections, highlighting that the terms of the panchayats are set to expire on January 31, 2024, and that the elections have already been delayed by 18 months.
Earlier on Monday, Justice Madhavi Devi had reserved her decision on six petitions from former sarpanches, with the ruling announced on Wednesday. During this process, the single-judge bench reminded the state government of its prior assurance to the High Court that local body elections would occur by February 2025.
Additional Advocate General Imran Khan informed the court that the government would need a month to declare reservations for backward classes in local bodies. The court was assured that these reservations would comply with the Supreme Court’s directives.
Senior counsel Vidyasagar, representing the State Election Commission, stated that elections would be held within 60 days following the government’s announcement of reservations.
The petitioners requested either an extension of their terms or immediate elections for village panchayats, arguing that the appointment of special officers to replace them after their terms expired violated Articles 243E and 243K of the Constitution and contradicted the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act of 2018.
They contended that local body elections should occur within six months after the elected body’s term ends, as mandated by the Constitution.
The petitioners noted that the state government had previously assured elections would be conducted by February 25 of the previous year but failed to follow through.
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Additionally, the former sarpanches mentioned that they had personally financed developmental projects in their villages and sought reimbursement for their expenses.
In response to the ruling, the former sarpanches expressed their approval, stating that governance in rural areas has stalled due to the absence of public representatives such as ward members and sarpanches.