India, June 30 -- The US Supreme Court has handed a major defeat to the Republican National Committee and US President Donald Trump by ruling that states have the constitutional authority to count valid mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day.

In a highly anticipated 5-4 decision, the high court rejected a concerted legal challenge that sought to eliminate the post-election grace periods currently utilised by more than a dozen states and territories.

The landmark ruling ensures that millions of voters will not be disenfranchised due to postal delays, providing sudden regulatory stability for local election officials just months before the highly contested 2026 midterm congressional elections.

The high-stakes legal battle culmina...