Dehradun – The State Election Commission (SEC) has postponed the commencement of the nomination process for the three-tier Panchayat elections in Uttarakhand until further notice. The deferment follows a recent stay imposed by the Uttarakhand High Court regarding the conduct of these elections.
In a notification issued on Tuesday, State Election Commissioner Sushil Kumar confirmed the suspension of the nomination process, which was originally scheduled to begin on June 25.
The High Court’s interim order came in response to the absence of a gazette notification for the Uttarakhand Village Panchayat, Kshetra Panchayat and Zila Panchayat (Reservation and Allotment of Seats and Offices) Rules, 2025. The court observed that the lack of legal clarity on reservation provisions—particularly for the posts of village pradhans, block panchayat members and district panchayat members—warrants a pause in the election process. The matter is now scheduled for further hearing on June 25, during which the court will consider the State government’s response and other related petitions.
The SEC had announced the election schedule on Saturday, with polling planned in two phases—on July 10 and July 15. Following this, district administrations in 12 districts had begun issuing their own notifications and preparing for the polls. Several prospective candidates had also initiated their campaigns and discussions.
However, the High Court’s stay order has halted these preparations, casting uncertainty over the State government’s plans to conduct timely Panchayat elections.
