Jaipur, April 8 Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot alleged on Wednesday that a "constitutional crisis" is deepening in the state due to the BJP government's "undemocratic approach".
Gehlot said that elections to village councils and urban local bodies have not been held for over a year, and administrators have been appointed in their place, which he termed a direct attack on democratic governance.
He cited provisions of the Constitution, including Articles 243E and 243U, which mandate a five-year term for village councils and urban local bodies and require timely elections. He also referred to Article 243K, which provides for an independent State Election Commission to conduct polls, saying that elections are a constitutional obligation and not subject to the government's discretion.
"The state government has delayed elections on grounds such as delimitation, reorganization, and 'one state, one election'. The Supreme Court, in the Vikas Kishanrao Gawali (2021) case, has clearly stated that such reasons cannot be valid grounds to postpone elections," he said.
He said that the Rajasthan High Court had issued directions on multiple occasions in 2025, and later set a deadline of April 15, 2026.
"While deciding 439 petitions together, the high court fixed April 15, 2026 as the final deadline. The Supreme Court's subsequent dismissal of the Special Leave Petition (SLP) – thereby upholding this order – "serves as proof that the judiciary has made its stance unequivocally clear," he said.
However, a lack of seriousness remains evident on the part of the government, Gehlot said.
The former Chief Minister alleged that continued delay in holding elections and non-compliance with court directions amount to a "breakdown of constitutional governance", and said that the spirit of decentralization and local self-governance envisaged under the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments is being undermined.
"People will not accept the denial of their democratic rights," he said.
--
MNK
MNK
MNK
Gehlot said that elections to village councils and urban local bodies have not been held for over a year, and administrators have been appointed in their place, which he termed a direct attack on democratic governance.
He cited provisions of the Constitution, including Articles 243E and 243U, which mandate a five-year term for village councils and urban local bodies and require timely elections. He also referred to Article 243K, which provides for an independent State Election Commission to conduct polls, saying that elections are a constitutional obligation and not subject to the government's discretion.
"The state government has delayed elections on grounds such as delimitation, reorganization, and 'one state, one election'. The Supreme Court, in the Vikas Kishanrao Gawali (2021) case, has clearly stated that such reasons cannot be valid grounds to postpone elections," he said.
He said that the Rajasthan High Court had issued directions on multiple occasions in 2025, and later set a deadline of April 15, 2026.
"While deciding 439 petitions together, the high court fixed April 15, 2026 as the final deadline. The Supreme Court's subsequent dismissal of the Special Leave Petition (SLP) – thereby upholding this order – "serves as proof that the judiciary has made its stance unequivocally clear," he said.
However, a lack of seriousness remains evident on the part of the government, Gehlot said.
The former Chief Minister alleged that continued delay in holding elections and non-compliance with court directions amount to a "breakdown of constitutional governance", and said that the spirit of decentralization and local self-governance envisaged under the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments is being undermined.
"People will not accept the denial of their democratic rights," he said.
--
MNK
MNK
MNK
