Allahabad High Court Declares UP Orders Allowing Village Heads to Stay as Administrators Void

Overview

• A single bench of the Allahabad High Court led by Justice Siddhartha Nandan on Friday struck down the Uttar Pradesh government orders of May 25 and May 26 that named outgoing gram pradhans as administrators, calling those orders void because they relied on a provision earlier held unconstitutional.
• The court gave the state one last chance to file a detailed, time‑bound affidavit setting out when the three‑tier panchayat elections will be held and permitted the OBC (Backwards Classes) Commission to be impleaded as a party.
• The state told the court it delayed elections because an OBC Commission report on reservation has not been produced, while the State Election Commission said electoral rolls were published on June 10 and it is ready to hold polls if the government supplies logistics.
• Justice Nandan warned that the Principal Secretary of Panchayat Raj must personally appear at the next hearing if the affidavit is not filed and that failing to explain issuing orders under an already invalid provision may amount to prima facie contempt.
• The ruling reinforces Articles 243E and 243K’s fixed five‑year term for panchayats and could force the state either to set a clear election timeline or face legal and practical fallout for village officials, contractors, and local services; the matter is listed for July 13.