Hold panchayat polls in U.P. within 3 months: HC to State poll body
The Allahabad High Court has ordered the Uttar Pradesh State Election Commission to conduct panchayat elections within three months. The court mandated that existing reservation policies, including 27% for OBCs, must be upheld during the process.
Why it matters
Ensuring local governance elections are held on time is essential for grassroots democracy and administrative accountability in India's most populous state.
The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday (October 14, 2026) directed the Uttar Pradesh State Election Commission to hold polls to Panchayati Raj institutions in Uttar Pradesh within three months.
The order was passed by a Bench comprising Justices Ajit Kumar and Garima Prashad while allowing the plea by Dashrath Yadav and others.
The petitioner had moved the court seeking direction to the poll body to place on record a detailed time-bound schedule for completion of the entire panchayat election process well before the expiry of the district panchayat tenure.
These three-tier polls are called so that elections to zila panchayats (district level), Kshetra panchayat (intermediary) and Gram Panchayat (village level) are held simultaneously.
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