India, Jan. 9 -- In a setback to the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress government, the Himachal Pradesh high court on Friday ordered the state to conduct elections for panchayati raj institutions (PRIs) and urban local bodies (ULBs) by April 30, 2026.

The ruling effectively dismisses the state's attempt to defer the democratic exercise by six months, citing post-monsoon reconstruction and the enforcement of the Disaster Management Act.

Disposing of a petition challenging the delay, the court mandated that the state election commission (SEC) and the government finalise all preparatory formalities by February 28.

The state government had argued that "extensive damage to private and public property" during the recent monsoon-which saw l...