The long wait for local body and panchayat elections in Rajasthan is finally coming to an end. During a hearing at the High Court in Jaipur, the state government laid out a complete roadmap for holding the elections. The government assured the court that local body elections will be formally announced on 17 August, followed by the panchayat election announcement on 23 September.
Local Body Polls First, Then Panchayats
The government told the High Court that elections will be held in two stages. Municipal councils and municipal corporations, referred to as local bodies, will go to polls first, with the notification for these elections to be issued on 17 August. Panchayat elections will follow, with their notification set to be issued on 23 September. The staggered schedule is meant to keep the administrative process for both sets of elections in order.
Clarity on OBC Reservation Too
Alongside the election dates, the government also presented its complete plan on OBC reservation before the court. It stated that the OBC Commission will submit its final reservation report by 5 August. Based on that report, the state government will complete the entire reservation lottery process by 15 August. Only after reservations are finalised will the election schedule be issued, which is why the Local Bodies and Panchayati Raj Department has been given until 15 August to complete this task.
Entire Process to Finish Before 15 November 2026
The State Election Commission informed the court that the full election process will be completed before 15 November 2026. The government also submitted an advance copy with a detailed timeline to the High Court, laying out the schedule for every stage, from the reservation report to the actual voting.
Who Argued the Case in Court
Advocate General Rajendra Prasad represented the state government during the hearing, while Premchand Devanda and Puneet Singhvi argued on behalf of the petitioners. State Election Commission chairman Rajeshwar Singh joined the hearing online and presented the entire blueprint before the court, covering everything from the OBC reservation report to the voting process. The election process for both local bodies and panchayats will now move forward under the High Court's supervision. Notably, the government had earlier been ordered to complete the elections by 31 July, a deadline that has now been replaced by the new timeline.
