The Manipur High Court on Friday directed the state government to hold panchayat elections within six months. This order was issued by a division bench comprising Chief Justice K. Hema Singh and Justice Guneshwar Sharma during the hearing of the long-pending local body elections.
Imphal: The Manipur High Court has taken a strict stance on the long-delayed panchayat elections. The court issued a clear directive to the state government on Friday that panchayat elections should be held within the next six months. The division bench, headed by Chief Justice K. Hema Singh and Justice Guneshwar Sharma, issued this order while hearing a petition against the delay in local body elections.
Panchayat elections in Manipur were last held in 2017. The five-year term of the Panchayati Raj institutions ended in June 2023, but new elections have not been held since then. Consequently, the functioning of panchayats and district councils is being managed through administrative committees and administrators.
Court's Remarks on the Delay in Panchayat Elections
During the hearing, the High Court clarified that timely elections are crucial for maintaining a b and transparent Panchayati Raj system in Manipur. The court stated that new administrative committees for Gram Panchayats and administrators for District Councils can be appointed, but these appointments cannot extend beyond six months.
Along with this, the court quashed all previous orders issued by the state government under which administrative committees and administrators had been functioning for more than six months since the interim order. The court clearly stated that the state government should not delay the elections any further.
Directives Issued to the State Government
In its order, the High Court stated, “All orders related to the appointment of administrative committees for Gram Panchayats and administrators for District Councils, which were passed for a period exceeding six months, are hereby set aside. The state government is directed to conduct the panchayat elections within a maximum period of six months.”
Following this order, the pressure on the state government to hold elections has increased. Experts believe that if elections are not held on time, the democratic framework will be questioned, and the panchayat system will be weakened.
Congress's Reaction and New Electoral Demand
Amidst the High Court's directives, the Congress has also intensified its demand for elections in the state. Congress MP Saptagiri Shankar Ulaka said at a rally organized in Imphal on Thursday that the return of peace and brotherhood in the state is possible only when the public gets an opportunity to elect their government. At this rally, named 'Vote Chor, Gaddi Chor' (Thieves of Votes, Thieves of Seats), he bly criticized the BJP government.
Ulaka stated that despite the BJP and its allies having 55 MLAs in the 60-member Manipur Legislative Assembly, President's Rule has been imposed in the state. This, he claimed, is against democratic values. "Our demand is simple: fresh elections should be held in Manipur so that people can elect their government and resolve issues," he added.
