Chief Justice Sanjay K. Agrawal Constitutes Special Benches as Election-Related Pleas Pile Up; HC Holds Unusual Sunday Hearings to Take Up Urgent Matters Ahead of Monday Polls to Ensure Petitioners Can Participate.
Jaipur: With the municipal chairperson and mayor elections now concluded, the Rajasthan High Court’s opened its doors for a series of urgent Sunday hearings and continue proceedings late into the night became a notable example of the judiciary responding to time-sensitive matters.
Candidates and councillors who had approached the Court apprehending arrest or coercive action were given an opportunity to seek immediate judicial relief before the polls.
The hearings were held on the directions of Chief Justice Sanjay K. Agrawal, who constituted special Benches to deal with the election-related matters on the holiday which continued till midnight creating a mark of Rare-Late Night Proceedings.
“The proceedings were a reminder that access to justice does not stop with the court calendar when circumstances demand urgent attention.”
“History Is Always Written…” — A Sunday of Extraordinary Judicial Intervention
“History is always written by leaders who are willing to embrace challenges.” Chief Justice Sanjay K. Agrawal reflected that spirit through an extraordinary judicial response on Sunday.
The un-precedented rush of election-related matters saw the High Court functioning well beyond its normal schedule on a Sunday.
When Time Demanded Justice, even a Holiday Could Not Stand in Its Way
At a time when candidates and councillors had approached the Court seeking protection from arrest and coercive action, special Benches were constituted and the matters were taken up without allowing the Sunday holiday to stand in the way of urgent judicial consideration.
The intervention not only provided immediate relief in appropriate cases, but also ensured that time-sensitive legal issues were addressed before the electoral process began.
The Sunday proceedings, which continued past midnight, stood as a notable reminder that “The Judiciary can rise to the occasion and remain accessible when it matters most.”
Justice Kuldeep Mathur and Justice Sunil Beniwal heard several election-related pleas, while Dr. Justice Nupur Bhati took up an urgent matter late at night, with proceedings continuing past midnight. Despite the Baba Ramdev Jayanti holiday, Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand, as well as Dr. Justice Nupur Bhati and Justice Baljinder Singh, also heard urgent election-related matters.
The sequence of urgent hearings included matters from Kuchera, Sri Vijaynagar, Hanumangarh and Sri Ganganagar, among other places, with several petitioners receiving interim protection.
Justice Kuldeep Granted Interim Protection
Kuchera Municipality Chairperson candidate Tejpal Mirdha, who had approached the Rajasthan High Court apprehending arrest in an ACB case. Justice Kuldeep Mathur heard the matter and granted Mirdha interim protection from arrest.
Sri Vijaynagar Candidate Sushil Mundra, Also Gets Interim Relief under the SC/ST Act shortly before the election.
Hanumangarh Municipal Council Chairperson election candiate, Manju Rinwa Granted Protection from the coercive action against her
Justice Sunil Beniwal Granted Relief to Sanjay Mundra
Sanjay Mundra, a candidate for the Sri Ganganagar Municipal Council Chairperson post, who apprehended arrest in an FIR alleging that threats were issued through an alleged associate of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. He was also permitted to participate in the scheduled chairperson election.
Dr. Justice Nupur Bhati : Late-Night Hearing for Nine Hanumangarh Councillors
The most unusual proceedings came later at night when petitions were filed on behalf of nine Hanumangarh councillors seeking protection from arrest.
Considering the urgency, a single Bench headed by Dr. Justice Nupur Bhati was constituted at around 10 PM on the Chief Justice’s directions. The Bench heard the matter late into the night and subsequently granted interim protection to the councillors.
Hearing continued past midnight, making it one of the rare instances of such late-night judicial proceedings in connection with an ongoing election process by a woman judge.
HC Steps in as Arrest Fears Collide with Election Participation
A common thread running through the Sunday petitions was the apprehension that arrest or coercive police action immediately before the elections could prevent candidates or councillors from taking part in the voting process.
The Sunday proceedings came just before elections for mayors and chairpersons across Rajasthan’s urban local bodies, with voting scheduled in 273 urban local bodies on Monday.
Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand: Tijara Poll Decision Left to SEC
In Tijara chairperson election matter, Justice Anoop Kumar Dhand declined to halt the poll process and directed the ADM, Bhiwadi, to submit a report on the alleged detention of 18 councillors to the State Election Commission, leaving the final decision on the election to the Commission.
Justice Nupur Bhati & Justice Baljinder Singh: Sri Vijaynagar Polling Extended
In Sri Vijaynagar election matter, Dr. Justice Nupur Bhati and Justice Baljinder Singh directed the police to recover councillor Vijay Kumar Tanna, who was allegedly abducted at gunpoint, by 4 PM and extended the polling deadline from 2 PM to 5 PM to enable him to cast his vote.
A Court Working Against the Clock
What began as a series of urgent election petitions turned into an unusually long Sunday sitting, with special Benches being constituted one after another and matters being taken up late into the night.
The Sunday proceedings reflected the judiciary’s active and time-sensitive role in safeguarding access to justice.
The collective response of the Chief Justice and the Judges demonstrated the importance of a judiciary that remains responsive to matters where even a few hours can carry significant consequences.