A high-stakes legal and political faceoff unfolded in the Rajasthan High Court as special benches assembled on a gazetted holiday to conduct emergency hearings stretching until 10 PM. Marking a rare historic instance for the state's highest judicial forum, multiple single benches took up urgent petitions filed by candidates and newly elected municipal councillors who apprehended imminent police arrest ahead of crucial local body elections and board-formation votes. Across six separate legal proceedings, petitioners hailing from Kuchera, Bikaner, Shri Vijaynagar, and Hanumangarh secured vital interim protection and procedural safeguards against coercive state action.
Holiday Benches Concur on Urgent Protective Pleas
The unusual holiday proceedings were set in motion during the afternoon hours following special permission granted by the Chief Justice. The first urgent matter to be taken up involved Tejpal Mirdha, an election candidate from Kuchera who sought immediate judicial intervention against anticipated detention. The single bench granted him urgent relief by staying his arrest, opening the door for five additional election-related petitions to be presented before different benches as the evening progressed.
From late evening until 10 PM, various single benches deliberated on the pleas of councillors and civic chief contenders. The petitioners collectively argued that administrative and police machinery was being weaponised by political rivals to alter election dynamics and prevent them from voting in municipal board formations. Taking note of the pressing urgency, the judges granted absolute stays on arrest in several cases, while in another matter, strict directions were issued to the authorities barring any punitive action without strictly adhering to statutory due process.
Bikaner Councillor Maqsood Ahmed Granted Judicial Relief
In Bikaner, newly elected municipal councillor and former UIT chairman Maqsood Ahmed approached the court through an urgent plea after being summoned for police questioning on Monday morning, the designated day of polling. The summons related to a previously lodged case under the SC-ST Act, sparking fears that the police interrogation was a pretense designed to detain him and block his participation in the vote.
Senior advocate Sachin Acharya appeared on behalf of Maqsood Ahmed, emphasizing that the timing of the police action appeared calculated to frustrate his franchise and civic mandate. Upon evaluating the circumstances, the court granted relief to Ahmed against coercive steps. The precise conditions governing his protection from arrest and subsequent legal procedure are to be regulated in accordance with the court's detailed formal order.
Shri Vijaynagar Civic Head Contender Protected Till October 7
In another critical ruling, Justice Sunil Beniwal heard an anticipatory petition filed by Sushil Middha alias Bittu Middha, a contender for the post of municipal chairman in Shri Vijaynagar. A criminal case had been registered against Middha under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the SC-ST Act on the very next day following the official notification of the elections.
State counsel vigorously opposed the petition before the court, asserting that the allegations leveled against Middha were grave and disentitled him to discretionary relief. However, Justice Beniwal noted the suspicious timing of the FIR, which closely followed the election schedule. Recognizing the risk of mala fide incarceration during the electoral process, the court stayed the arrest of Sushil Middha until October 7, allowing him to participate unhindered in the ongoing civic proceedings.
Hanumangarh Councillor Manju Secures Notice to Administration
Councillor Manju from the Hanumangarh Municipal Council moved the High Court expressing acute distress that local political enmity would lead to administrative harassment aimed at preventing her from voting in the municipal chairperson election. Senior advocate Ravi Bhansali argued her petition before the single bench of Justice Kuldeep Mathur.
After reviewing the submissions, Justice Mathur's bench directed law enforcement agencies and the administration not to take any punitive or coercive action against councillor Manju without following the prescribed statutory legal procedure. Furthermore, the court issued formal notices to the State Government, the police administration, and the District Election Officer, seeking their detailed responses within one week.
Nine More Hanumangarh Councillors Shielded from Custody
The Hanumangarh municipal contest witnessed another coordinated judicial petition when nine other newly elected councillors approached the High Court jointly. These councillors submitted that fabricated cases were being used as an instrument to arrest them right before the vote for the post of municipal chairperson.
Justice Nupur Bhati presided over the hearing concerning the nine councillors. Recognizing the acute vulnerability of elected representatives during closely contested local body polls, Justice Bhati issued a formal stay order restraining the police from arresting any of the nine councillors. The decision provided critical legal sanctuary to the elected members, ensuring that the electoral arithmetic in the local council would not be compromised by custodial detention.
Escalating Legal Battles in Local Board Formations
The unprecedented holiday sittings reflect the fierce rivalry unfolding across Rajasthan's urban local bodies as rival political groups scramble to secure the numbers needed to control municipal boards. Allegations concerning the misuse of state machinery and selective police action have driven dozens of representatives to seek judicial sanctuary. By keeping its benches functional until late into the night on a public holiday, the High Court demonstrated its readiness to safeguard democratic norms and protect elected representatives from arbitrary deprivation of liberty.
