The High Court of Chhattisgarh in WPC No. 4672 of 2026 granted a direction under Article 226 for the expeditious disposal of a pending election petition before the Election Tribunal within 30 days.
Directed the Election Tribunal to consider and decide the election petition within 30 days from the receipt of the order.
This page shows the compact analysis of this judgement. The full analysis — procedural history, issue-by-issue holdings with ratio and obiter, advocates, and paragraph-level evidence for every claim — is being added to the record in batches and will appear here when this judgement has been through it.
1
CGHC010350452026
2026:CGHC:40201
NAFR
HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR
WPC No. 4672 of 2026
Digitally signed by PREETI PREETI KUMARI KUMARI Date: 2026.09.16 10:59:31 +0530
Smt. Pramila Devi Bharti, W/o Vishram Prasad Bharti, Aged About 43 Years R/o - Village Dhardei, Tahsil - Pamgarh, District - Janjgir-Champa (C.G.)
... Petitioner
versus
1. State of Chhattisgarh Through Its Secretary, Department of Panchayat and Rural Development, Mahanadi Bhawan, Atal Nagar, Nawa Raipur, District - Raipur (C.G.)
2. The Collector Cum Election Tribunal, Janjgir, District - Janjgir-Champa (C.G.)
3. Smt. Shanta Deendayal Sahu W/o Deendayal Sahu, Aged About 46 Years R/o Village - Dhardei, Tahsil - Pamgarh, District - Janjgir-Champa (C.G.)
4. Smt. Aasha Ramkrishna Soni, W/o Ramkrishna Soni, Aged About 34 Years R/o Village - Dhardei Tahsil - Pamgarh, District - Janjgir-Champa (C.G.)
5. Smt. Krishna Bai Kurre, W/o Ganeshram Kurre, Village - Kohka, Tahsil - Pamgarh, District - Janjgir-Champa (C.G.)
6. Smt. Shantoshi Yadav, W/o Ajay Ratre, Aged About 40 Years R/o Village-Kohka, Tahsil - Pamgarh, District - Janjgir-Champa (C.G.)
7. Returning Officer, Mahendra Kumar Lahre, Tahsildar Pamgarh, District - Janjgir-Champa (C.G.)
8. Assistant Returning Officer, Chief Executive Officer, Janpad Panchayat, Pamgarh, District - Janjgir-Champa (C.G.)
... Respondent(s)
For Petitioner : Mr. Atul Kumar Kesharwani, Advocate. For State : Mr. S. S. Choubey, Government Advocate.
2
Hon’ble Shri Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad
Order on Board
15.09.2026
1. By way of this writ petition, the petitioner has prayed for the following relief(s):-
“10.1 This Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to issue an appropriate writ setting aside the impugned order dt. 08.07.2026 passed by Ld. Election Tribunal/ Collector, Janjgir-Champa (C.G.) in election case No. 20250460100010/अ-89/21/2024-25 titled as Smt. Pramila Devi vs Smt. Shanta Deendayal Sahu & Ors., in the interest of justice.
10.2. This Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the Election Tribunal/Collector (Respondent no. 02) to expedite the proceedings of election petition filed by the petitioner within a period of 45 days months, in the interest of justice.
10.3. This Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to pass any other order as may be deemed fit and proper under the facts and circumstances of the instant case.
2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the election petition filed by the petitioner has been pending consideration before the concerned Election Tribunal since 24.03.2025. It is further submitted that, despite the election petition having remained pending for a considerable period, the proceedings have not yet culminated in a final adjudication. Learned counsel for the petitioner, therefore, submits that the petitioner is constrained to approach this Court seeking an appropriate direction for expeditious disposal of the election petition so that the same may be
3
decided within a reasonable time and the petitioner may not be subjected to further delay in the matter.
3. Learned State counsel appearing for the State, upon being apprised of the aforesaid facts and circumstances, submits that the election petition is pending before the concerned authority and assures this Court that the same shall be considered and decided expeditiously, preferably within a period of 30 days, in accordance with law and after following due procedure.
4. I have heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the material available on record.
5. Having considered the submissions made by learned counsel for the parties and having regard to the fact that the election petition has been pending before the concerned authority since 24.03.2025, this Court is of the considered view that the ends of justice would be served by directing expeditious disposal of the said election petition.
6. Accordingly, the concerned Election Tribunal/authority is directed to consider and decide the election petition, strictly in accordance with law and after affording due opportunity of hearing to all concerned parties, within a period of 30 days from the date of receipt of a copy of this order.
7. In view of the above, the present petition stands disposed of .
Sd/-
(Amitendra Kishore Prasad)
Judge
Preeti
2 issues framed by the court
Whether the High Court should direct the Election Tribunal to expedite the disposal of a pending election petition.
Whether the delay in deciding an election petition warrants the intervention of the High Court.
Smt. Pramila Devi Bharti
State of Chhattisgarh
Smt. Shanta Deendayal Sahu
Smt. Aasha Ramkrishna Soni
Smt. Krishna Bai Kurre
Smt. Shantoshi Yadav
Amitendra Kishore Prasad
As recorded by the court registry
Judgements on the same questions, provisions and authorities, from every court
