The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to interfere with the Manipur High Court’s order extending the deadline for conducting Panchayat elections in the state until October 16, 2026, observing that the High Court had already issued binding directions requiring the State Election Commission (SEC) to complete the electoral process within the stipulated timeframe.
A partial working-day Bench of Justice N Kotiswar Singh and Justice NV Anjaria dismissed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by Pheiroijam Heramani and others challenging the High Court’s order dated May 19, 2026, which permitted the state government and the SEC to hold the sixth general Panchayat elections on or before October 16, 2026.
The petitioners argued that the tenure of the elected Panchayat representatives had ended in 2022 and that the democratic mandate had remained unfulfilled for nearly four years. They submitted that despite repeated assurances and affidavits filed before the courts, the state had failed to conduct elections within the timelines earlier indicated.
It was further contended that the repeated appointment of Administrative Committees (ACs) in place of elected local bodies violated Article 243E of the Constitution, which guarantees a five-year tenure for Panchayats and mandates timely elections. According to the petitioners, the state could not indefinitely replace democratically elected institutions with such committees.
The petitioners also questioned the legality of the High Court’s decision permitting the constitution of ACs for Zilla Parishads by invoking Section 109 of the Manipur Panchayati Raj Act, 1994, which deals with the removal of difficulties. They argued that Section 92 of the Act only provides for the appointment of an Administrator for Zilla Parishads under specified circumstances and does not authorise the creation of such committees.
Another relief sought before the Supreme Court was a fresh undertaking from the Manipur government assuring that Panchayat elections would be completed before October 16, 2026.
Appearing for the state, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposed the request, submitting that the High Court’s directions were already binding on the state authorities and that insisting on an additional undertaking would unnecessarily expose the government to contempt proceedings if unforeseen developments affected the election schedule. He submitted that any deterioration in the prevailing situation could make compliance difficult despite the state’s intention to hold the elections.
The Apex Court accepted the state’s submission and observed that the petitioners’ principal grievance already stood addressed by the High Court’s direction fixing a specific deadline for completion of the electoral process. The Bench noted that since a judicial direction requiring elections to be held within a stipulated period was already in force, there was no justification for its interference.
The Court clarified that if the State failed to comply with the High Court’s directions or acted contrary to law, the petitioners would be at liberty to seek appropriate legal remedies before the competent forum. Accordingly, the Special Leave Petition was dismissed.
The High Court had extended the election deadline while allowing review petitions filed by the Manipur government against its August 2025 judgment directing the state government to conduct Panchayat elections within six months.
The State had contended before the High Court that the prevailing law-and-order situation and the imposition of the President’s Rule in February 2025 made it impracticable to conduct local body elections within the original timeline.
Taking note of these extraordinary circumstances, the Division Bench of Chief Justice M Sundar and Justice A Guneshwar Sharma modified its earlier judgment and granted time to the Manipur government until October 16, 2026, to complete the electoral process, while also enabling the implementation of the three-tier Panchayati Raj system in accordance with the recent legislative amendments.
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