January 3, 2025: In a significant legal development, the Gauhati High Court has suspended the notification for the upcoming Panchayat elections, granting the state government time until January 6 to address the matter. This follows a special petition filed by the government in response to the court's earlier directive postponing the election process.

The High Court had previously ordered that no notification for the Panchayat elections should be issued until January 9. However, the state government has sought reconsideration of this decision, citing concerns over the need to proceed with the elections as planned. In response, the court has instructed the plaintiffs to submit their replies by January 6.

Additionally, the court has directed that copies of the government’s application be served to the parties involved today, ensuring transparency in the legal proceedings.

Despite the High Court’s order, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier announced that the Panchayat elections would be held as per the original schedule. However, the state's inability to proceed with the elections in light of the court's ruling has underscored the government's limitations in this matter.

The government’s party has also requested the court to allow the elections to take place without further legal entanglements, emphasizing the need for the polls to proceed in panchayats despite ongoing cases. The court’s decision follows multiple petitions filed due to discrepancies in the constituency redetermination process. These petitions argue that the elections should be postponed until these errors are rectified.

As the legal battle continues, all eyes are now on the January 6 hearing, which will determine the next steps in the Panchayat election process.