Jharkhand High Court Demands Status Update on PESA Act Rule Implementation

The Jharkhand High Court has ordered the state government to submit a status report on the implementation of rules under the Panchayat Extension of Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act. This follows a contempt petition by the ‘Adiwasi Buddhijeevi Manch’ over delays in compliance with the court's directives.

The Jharkhand High Court has ramped up pressure on the state government, demanding an immediate status report concerning the implementation of rules for the Panchayat Extension of Scheduled Areas (PESA) Act.

The mandate comes after the 'Adiwasi Buddhijeevi Manch' filed a contempt petition against the government's delay in framing and implementing the necessary regulations. This action follows an earlier court directive from July 2024, which required compliance within two months—a deadline that has long passed without resolution.

During the proceedings, Additional Advocate General Sachin Kumar informed the court of anomalies identified by the cabinet coordination committee. These discrepancies have necessitated a return to the drafting board for the Panchayati Raj Department, which now must rectify the rules before submitting them again.

(With inputs from agencies.)