( 2026:JHHC:20555-DB ) 1 IN THE HIGH COURT OF JHARKHAND AT RANCHI L.P.A. No. 433 of 2025 Ranju Devi, aged about 43 years, wife of Mithilesh Prasad Yadav, resident of village- House No.42, Tulsibaran, P.O.- Chulihaya, P.S.-Mohanpur, District- Deoghar. ... ... Appellant Versus 1. The State of Jharkhand. 2. The Deputy Commissioner, Deoghar, P.O. & P.S. –Deoghar, District- Deoghar. 3. The Sub-Divisional Officer, Deoghar, P.O. & P.S. Deoghar, District- Deoghar. 4. The Jharkhand State Election Commission, through its Secretary, Sector-2 Jagarnathpur, P.O. & P.S.- Jagarnathpur, District-Ranchi. 5. The Electoral Officer, Deoghar, Gram Panchayat Postwari, Mohanpur Block, P.O. & P.S. Mohanpur, District- Deoghar. 6. Manju Devi, wife of Naresh Yadav, resident of Village-Salgati, P.O. Jhillighat, P.S. Mohanpur, District-Deoghar. 7. Sushila Vaski, wife of Suryalal Murmu, resident of village Kadarkura, P.O. Jhillighat, P.S. Mohanpur, District-Deoghar … ... Respondents ------ CORAM : HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HON’BLE MRS JUSTICE ANUBHA RAWAT CHOUDHARY ------ For the Appellant : Mr Niranjan Kumar, Advocate For the Resp.Nos. 1 to 3 : Mr Sanjay Kumar Tiwari, SC-I Mr Mihir Kumar Ekka, AC to SC-I ----- 03 /Dated: 10.07.2026 I.A. No. 9251 of 2025 1. Heard the learned counsel for the parties. 2. This I.A. seeks condonation of delay of 09 days in instituting the accompanying appeal. 3. We have perused the I.A., and we are satisfied that sufficient cause has been shown. The delay is also marginal. 4. Accordingly, we condone the delay and dispose of this I.A. L.P.A. No. 433 of 2025 5. Heard Mr Niranjan Kumar, learned counsel for the appellant and Mr Sanjay Kumar Tiwari, learned S.C.-I for the respondent Nos. 1, 2 and 3. ( 2026:JHHC:20555-DB ) 2 6. For the order we propose to make, we do not consider that any notice is necessary to the remaining respondents. The respondents Nos. 6 and 7 would be given an opportunity by the 3rd respondent in the Election Petition No. 09 of 2022, in which the appellant seeks a time-bound and expeditious disposal. 7. The appellant instituted Election Petition No. 09 of 2022 to challenge the election of the 6th respondent as a Mukhiya of Gram Panchayat Postwari under Mohanpur Block of District- Deoghar. The election petition was filed within the prescribed period of limitation in 2022, but till date, has not been disposed of. 8. We note that the learned Single Judge of this Court had issued directions for disposal of this election petition within a reasonable period. Since this was not done, the appellant instituted a contempt petition. The contempt petition was, however, dropped because no specific timeline was prescribed for disposal of the election petition. 9. Now, almost four years have passed since the election, which has been questioned in the Election Petition No. 09 of 2022. To date, it is noted that the election petition has not been disposed of. 10. Mr Sanjay Kumar Tiwari, however, submitted that the proceedings in the petition are ongoing and every effort is being made to dispose of it after recording evidence. It is submitted that the election petition must be disposed of expeditiously. He submits that the Statute has not provided for any timeline to dispose of an election petition. 11. Even assuming that no timelines have been provided, that should not be construed as a license to delay the disposal of election petitions. Election petitions must be disposed of within a reasonable period, and four years after the conclusion of the elections can hardly be considered reasonable. By ( 2026:JHHC:20555-DB ) 3 continuing the election petitions until the term for which the respondent is elected expires, the election petition cannot be rendered infructuous. 12. Accordingly, we direct the 3rd respondent to dispose of Election Petition No. 09 of 2022 as expeditiously as possible and in any event, within a maximum of four months from today. Such disposal should be in accordance with law and on its own merits. 13. All parties must cooperate with the 3rd respondent in the disposal of the election petition by not seeking any undue adjournments or adopting any dilatory tactic. 14. This appeal is disposed of in the above terms without any order for costs. (M.S. Sonak, C.J.) (Anubha Rawat Choudhary, J.) July 10, 2026 Ranjeet / R.Kr. NAFR Uploaded on 14.07.2026