Jaipur, Jan. 6 -- The Supreme Court has given its final approval to the Panchayat delimitation and reorganisation exercise in Rajasthan, dismissing a Special Leave Petition filed by villagers challenging the process and clearing the way for Panchayat elections to proceed as scheduled. Additional advocate general Shiv Mangal Sharma said a bench comprising the Chief Justice of India and justice Joymala Bagchi declined to entertain the petition filed by residents of Revenue Village Singhaniya and another village, who had questioned the validity of the State's delimitation exercise. With the dismissal of the plea, the Court reaffirmed that elections to all Panchayati Raj Institutions in Rajasthan must be completed by April 15, 2026. The petition arose from a Rajasthan high court judgment dated November 14, 2025, which had upheld the state-wide delimitation exercise, directed its completion by December 31, 2025, and ordered that Panchayat elections be held on or before April 15, 2026. The petitioners had challenged the high court's ruling, alleging that their villages were merged with another Gram Panchayat located at a considerable distance, citing difficult terrain, lack of proper road connectivity and violation of distance-related guidelines. Appearing for the State of Rajasthan, additional advocate general Shiv Mangal Sharma informed the Supreme Court that the delimitation process had already been lawfully completed within the timeline fixed by the high court. Sharma further submitted that the State Election Commission has issued directions for preparation of voter lists and that the electoral process has already progressed significantly. The state argued that distance is not the sole determining factor in delimitation and that several parameters are taken into account, including population, administrative convenience, governance needs and reports submitted by district collectors, followed by approval at the Cabinet level. It was also contended that judicial interference at this advanced stage would have a cascading effect, forcing changes to the boundaries of multiple Gram Panchayats across Rajasthan and seriously disrupting the election schedule, said Sharma. After hearing both sides, the Supreme Court refused to reopen the concluded delimitation exercise and dismissed the Special Leave Petition. While granting limited liberty to the concerned Gram Panchayat to submit a representation to the competent authority if any grievance survives regarding the location of the Panchayat headquarters, the Court made it clear that no directions would be issued for shifting headquarters or for revisiting the delimitation process. The Court's order brings finality to the Panchayat delimitation exercise in Rajasthan and removes the last legal obstacle to the conduct of Panchayat elections. The ruling reinforces the principle that courts will not interfere once a comprehensive and lawful electoral process has reached an advanced stage, ensuring that grassroots democratic elections in the state proceed without further delay....