Jaipur, May 18 (IANS) The Rajasthan High Court on Monday adjourned the hearing on a contempt petition filed against the State Election Commission over the delay in conducting Panchayat and local body elections in the state.

The matter was listed before a Division Bench comprising Justice Mahendar Kumar Goyal and Justice Anil Kumar Upman, which was scheduled to hear the contempt petition filed by former MLA Sanyam Lodha, Girraj Singh Devanda, and others.

However, the Bench deferred the hearing until May 26, noting that another Division Bench of the High Court has already reserved its verdict on applications filed by the State Government and the State Election Commission seeking postponement of the polls.

During the previous hearing, the High Court had issued contempt notices to the State Election Commission and State Election Commissioner Rajeshwar Singh. The Court had sought an explanation from the Commission regarding how it issued a schedule for revision of voter lists for local body elections beyond the deadline earlier fixed by the High Court.

In the contempt petition, Lodha alleged that both the State Government and the Election Commission were deliberately delaying the elections despite clear directions from the High Court.

According to the petition, the Commission had fixed April 22 as the date for publication of the final voter lists for local body elections, making it impossible to complete the election process within the April 15 deadline previously set by the court.

The petitioners argued that this amounted to willful disobedience of judicial orders and constituted contempt of court.

Lodha further claimed that the prolonged delay in holding Panchayat and Urban Local Body elections has created a “constitutional crisis” in Rajasthan over the past one-and-a-half years. He alleged that the functioning of administrators appointed in place of elected representatives has caused distress among the public.

Earlier, on May 11, a separate Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice, Sanjeev Prakash Sharma, and Justice Sanjeet Purohit heard applications filed by the State Government and the State Election Commission seeking postponement of the polls.

After hearing arguments, the Bench reserved its verdict. In its application, the State Government requested that Panchayat and local body elections be deferred until December, citing various administrative and prevailing circumstances in different months as reasons for the delay.

The State Election Commission, in its submission, supported the government’s stand and argued that conducting elections before finalising OBC reservation determination would not be feasible.

–IANS

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