Yogi Govt Ready for UP Panchayat Polls in 3 Months, Says OP Rajbhar

Panchayati Raj Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar has cleared the air over the timeline for Uttar Pradesh's three-tier Panchayat elections, confirming that the Yogi Adityanath administration will fully comply with the Allahabad High Court's directive and will not approach the Supreme Court with a challenge. Addressing a press briefing at the Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) headquarters on Park Road in Lucknow, Rajbhar stated that the state government is prepared to conduct the rural local body elections within the court-mandated three-month window as soon as the dedicated Backward Classes Commission submits its findings on OBC reservations. By deciding against an apex court appeal, the state leadership aims to prevent public discontent and deny the political opposition an electoral weapon ahead of upcoming assembly battles, demonstrating administrative readiness to facilitate local democracy across the state's rural belts.

Commission Timelines and Voter Lists: The Administrative Roadmap for Polling

Detailing the preparatory work completed across Uttar Pradesh's districts, Rajbhar explained that the state’s panchayat voter lists have already been revised and formally published, clearing an essential procedural hurdle for the polling process. Under the legal framework outlined by the High Court, if the dedicated Backward Classes Commission delivers its empirical survey report on OBC quotas within one month, the administration will have a clear two-month window to execute polling schedules without institutional bottlenecks. The minister reiterated that the government holds full respect for the judiciary’s rulings and will proceed with the elections following established protocols once the commission's recommendations are received, ensuring that no administrative barriers hinder the electoral exercise.

Resistance from Rural Leaders: Supreme Court Challenge and Ground Realities

While the state government has signaled its willingness to proceed with the election timeline, sharp pushback has emerged from grassroots leadership bodies, with the National Panchayati Raj Gram Pradhan Association deciding to challenge the High Court order in the Supreme Court next week. Both the District Panchayat Presidents' Association and the Block Chief Association have voiced reservations regarding the feasibility of immediate polling, citing severe ground disruptions. Highlighting these practical concerns, Ghanshyam Anuragi, state president of the District Panchayat Presidents' Association, noted that seasonal floodwaters have submerged several gram panchayats across Uttar Pradesh, displacing families and cutting off rural transit routes. Anuragi warned that dispatching polling parties and administrative equipment into flood-affected rural interiors remains severely hazardous, prompting local representatives to seek intervention from the Supreme Court before election dates are finalized.