Manipur HC directs state govt to hold panchayat elections within six months

Imphal, Aug 29 (PTI) The High Court of Manipur on Friday directed the state government to conduct panchayat elections within six months.

The order was issued by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Kempaiah Somashekar and Justice Guneshwar Sharma during a hearing on the long-pending local body polls.

Panchayat elections in the state were last held in 2017.

Although fresh polls were scheduled for June 2023 after the completion of the five-year term, they have remained pending.

Since then, the Panchayati Raj institutions have been functioning through administrative committees.

The court in its hearing noted that "in order to make the Panchayati Raj system workable in Manipur, the state government has been given the liberty to appoint fresh administrative committee for gram panchayat and administrator for zilla parishad not exceeding a period of six months." The court also quashed all previous state government orders for appointments of administrative committees.

It said, "All orders of appointment of the administrative committee of the gram panchayat and administrator for zilla parishad, issued by state government in pursuance of the interim order dated 29.02.2024 for a term exceeding the period of 6 (six) months and till the election are held, are all set aside." The court said, "The state government is directed to conduct fresh election within a period of 6 months." The court also said the "state government is at liberty to appoint fresh administrative committee for the gram panchayat and administrator for zilla parishad for a period not exceeding 6 months." PTI COR MNB