SC Extends HP Local Body Poll Deadline to May 31; Rejects Delay on Delimitation

• Supreme Court extends Himachal Pradesh local body poll deadline from April 30 to May 31.
• The bench, comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, also extended the deadline for reconstruction, delimitation, and reservation work to March 31.
• The SC upheld the High Court's stance that delimitation pendency cannot justify delaying polls.
• The court noted the difficulties faced by the hill state during monsoon, mandating poll conclusion by May 31.
• Himachal Pradesh High Court had previously rejected the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu government’s plea to defer elections.