look news india
News India Live, Digital Desk: The legal entanglement regarding the three-tier Panchayat elections to be held in Uttar Pradesh in 2026 has become further entangled. Due to lack of time, an important hearing on this matter could not be held in Allahabad High Court on Wednesday (25 March) and today (26 March). The division bench of Justice Atul Sridharan and Justice Siddharth Nandan will now hear this PIL filed by advocate Imtiaz Hussain. next week Can hear. This delay has increased the anxiety of those prospective candidates who were hoping for elections before May 26.
High Court’s strict stance: ‘Are elections possible till May 26?’
During the last hearing, the High Court had taken the State Election Commission (SEC) to task. The court had asked the Commission to file an affidavit to clarify that:
Voter list issue: Is it practically possible to conduct the entire election process within the next 40 days (i.e. by 26 May) after the final publication of the voter list by 15 April 2026?
Constitutional Obligation: Under Article 243E, the tenure of Gram Panchayats cannot be extended more than 5 years (which is expiring on 26 May 2026) from their first meeting.
Petitioner’s argument: Dates changed repeatedly
Petitioner Imtiaz Hussain argues that the State Election Commission is trying to postpone the elections.
Delay sequence: Earlier the work of voter list was to be completed in December 2025, which was extended first to March 2026 and now through the latest notification. 15th April Has been done.
Reservation Process: After the list is finalized, the process of reservation of wards will also take a lot of time, due to which the constitutional dignity of holding elections on time may be broken.
Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar’s claim: “Elections will be held by July”
On one hand, while the matter is in the court, on the other hand, Panchayati Raj Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar had recently claimed that Panchayat elections in the state July 2026 Will be completed by. His statement indicates that the government is considering the appointment of ‘Administrators’ for some time after the end of the tenure.
Tenure math (at a glance):
| Panchayat level | date of first meeting | expiration of tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Head of Village | 27 May 2021 | 26 May 2026 |
| block chief | 20 July 2021 | 19 July 2026 |
| District Panchayat President | 12 July 2021 | 11 July 2026 |
What next?
The State Election Commission will have to present its roadmap in the hearing to be held next week. If the court is not satisfied with the commission’s response, it can issue strict instructions regarding the election dates. At present, there is a lot of election buzz in the villages of UP, but everyone is waiting for the official seal.