The High Court of Manipur on Friday directed the state government to conduct long-pending panchayat elections within six months.

The order was passed by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Kempaiah Somashekar and Justice Guneshwar Sharma during the hearing of petitions related to the delay in local body polls. Panchayat elections in Manipur were last held in 2017, and though fresh polls were scheduled for June 2023 after the completion of the five-year term, they remain pending. Since then, Panchayati Raj institutions have been functioning under administrative committees.

The court observed that to make the Panchayati Raj system workable in the state, the government may appoint fresh administrative committees for gram panchayats and administrators for zilla parishads, but only for a period not exceeding six months.

Quashing all previous government orders appointing administrative committees beyond the stipulated period, the bench stated: “All orders of appointment of the administrative committee of the gram panchayat and administrator for zilla parishad, issued by the state government in pursuance of the interim order dated 29.02.2024 for a term exceeding six months and till the elections are held, are all set aside.”

The court made it clear that the state government must conduct fresh panchayat elections within six months and may appoint new interim committees only for the limited period until elections are completed.