SC allows Rajasthan poll panel to hold panchyat polls by April, 2020

The Supreme Court allowed the Rajasthan State Election Commission (SEC) on Friday to hold 'panchayat' polls in the state by April this year.

The top court had earlier stayed the Rajasthan High Court's order cancelling the notifications reorganising certain 'gram panchayats' and 'panchayat samitis' in the state after November 15-16, 2019.

A bench, comprising Chief Justice S A Bobde and Justices B R Gavai and Surya Kant, was told by the state government that the high court quashed the delimitation of certain 'panchayats' and that order was stayed by the top court.

Later, the SEC stayed the 'panchayat' polls which should be conducted, senior advocate A M Singhvi said.

The bench took note of the plea of the state government and the statement of the state poll body on the possibility of conducting the 'panchyat' elections.

"K V Vishwanathan, senior counsel appearing for the newly added respondent State Election Commission, states that the elections will be held in accordance with the notifications... He further states that the elections will be held according to law in the second half of April, 2020. Order accordingly," the bench said in its order.

The high court, in December last year, had nullified 'panchayat' bodies created after November 15-16.

It had termed the delimitation notification of 627 gram 'panchayats' in Rajasthan as "void".