The Gauhati High Court has allowed the panchayat elections in Assam, excluding areas mentioned in nine writ petitions that challenge the delimitation process. The ruling was issued on Friday and made available to the public on Sunday.

The court’s decision came after the state government and the State Election Commission (SEC) filed applications requesting permission to proceed with the election process in areas not affected by the ongoing legal disputes. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirmed that the elections would be held after the completion of Class 10 and 12 board exams, which are scheduled to end by mid-April.

The petitions, which primarily challenge the delimitation of panchayats, had led the court to issue an interim order on December 17, 2024, preventing the SEC from issuing any poll notifications in the contested areas. The latest ruling clarified that the interim protection would only apply to the petitioners in these nine cases, allowing elections to proceed in other parts of the state.

Senior advocate AK Talukdar, representing one of the petitioners, stated that districts like Sribhumi, Hailakandi, Cachar, and Morigaon were affected by the delimitation disputes and, therefore, excluded from the election process.

While the court has cleared the way for elections in the unaffected areas, Chief Minister Sarma emphasized that the polls would not be held immediately. The elections are now expected to be conducted around mid-April, coinciding with Bohag Bihu, to avoid clashes with the board exam schedule.