Manipur High Court Mandates Panchayat Elections Within Six Months

The High Court of Manipur has issued a directive to the state government, requiring the facilitation of panchayat elections within a six-month period. This decision comes from a division bench led by Chief Justice Kempaiah Somashekar and Justice Guneshwar Sharma during discussions on long-delayed local body polls.

Despite the last elections being held in 2017 and subsequent polls planned for June 2023, they were postponed, leading to the Panchayati Raj institutions being managed through interim administrative committees. The court has now stepped in to ensure the democratic process is resumed in a timely manner.

In its directive, the court invalidated prior orders from the state allowing the appointment of administrative committees exceeding a six-month term. The state is authorized to appoint fresh committees for the interim, ensuring the management of local bodies remains functional until the elections are conducted.

(With inputs from agencies.)