The Rajasthan High Court has directed the state government not to proceed with issuing notifications for the formation of new gram panchayats until a high-level committee examines and responds to objections raised by the petitioners.
Justice Dinesh Mehta, presiding over more than 40 writ petitions challenging the proposed restructuring of gram panchayats, passed the interim order on Friday. The petitioners alleged significant deviations from the state government’s own guidelines dated January 10, 2025, particularly regarding the criteria for establishing new panchayat headquarters.
The court was informed that several proposed headquarters are located in remote or sparsely populated villages, lacking adequate infrastructure and suitable land for administrative buildings. Petitioners contended that better-developed villages with more central locations were being overlooked, raising concerns about transparency and fairness in the decision-making process.
Advocate General Rajendra Prasad, appearing for the state, argued that the process was still in its early stages. He apprised the court that a three-member committee had been constituted to evaluate all objections forwarded by district collectors. He also assured that collectors were instructed to consider all submissions from residents before finalising any recommendations.
Taking note of these submissions, the court scheduled the next hearing for July 7 and instructed that all objections mentioned in the petitions be formally presented to the committee via the Advocate General’s office. The bench also emphasised that the committee’s decisions must align with both the government’s January 10 guidelines and the court’s observations.
The High Court’s interim order offers a temporary reprieve to residents and stakeholders opposing the reorganisation, ensuring their concerns will be duly reviewed before any official changes are notified.
