The Supreme Court set aside Rajasthan's refusal to permit a non-partisan voter awareness campaign. The ruling said election authorities should facilitate such initiatives while policing any corrupt practices.Image used for representational purposes onlyNewdelhi,Nov 2, 2026 15:32 ISTThe Supreme Court on Monday set aside a Rajasthan State Election Commission order that denied a civil society organisation permission to conduct voter awareness campaigns during the ongoing local body elections, news agency Press Trust of India reported.A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana said such initiatives should be encouraged rather than restricted.

It directed the commission to reconsider the organisation's request within 48 hours.The court was hearing a petition filed by social activists Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dey, co-founders of the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan. They had challenged the commission's decision to deny permission for voter awareness campaigns in areas where prohibitory orders had been imposed under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.“The State Election Commission, Rajasthan, is directed to reconsider the petitioners' request for permitting them to conduct voter awareness campaigns as per the list appended to the application.

Let them decide within 48 hours. Their earlier order is set aside,” the bench said.

During the hearing, Justice Bagchi said the election commission could not claim exclusive control over voter awareness activities merely because it was conducting similar programmes. “Everyone has a right to go for voter awareness. You should welcome it,” he said.Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the activists, said the campaign had been conducted since 2004 and sought to educate voters about their democratic rights and electoral choices, including the None of the Above option.

He said it also aimed to discourage electoral malpractice by making voters aware that they should not accept money or other inducements in exchange for their votes. Bhushan said the proposed activities were entirely non-partisan, did not support or oppose any candidate, and involved small groups holding interactive awareness sessions in villages.According to PTI, the State Election Commission opposed the petition, saying it had examined the representation and feared that the proposed campaign could be conducted at the behest of another person.

It also said it was already running its own voter awareness programmes.Justice Bagchi rejected that reasoning. “That is not something within your domain. If you are conducting it, that does not stand in the way of any other authority conducting a voter awareness exercise.

You cannot restrict people from doing it. They will be your helping hand,” he said.The bench clarified that the commission could act against corrupt practices carried out in the name of voter awareness but could not take over or monopolise such initiatives. “If they indulge in any corrupt practices in the name of voter awareness, you are there to regulate.

But you cannot take over or monopolise voter awareness exercises,” Justice Bagchi said.Panchayati Raj elections in Rajasthan are being held in four phases. Voting for Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti members in the final phase is scheduled for November 14, while elections for Sarpanch and Panch posts will be held on November 16.

The elections cover 41 Zila Parishads, 457 Panchayat Samitis and 14,403 Gram Panchayats, with more than 4.03 crore voters reportedly eligible to vote.The Supreme Court's order sets aside the commission's earlier refusal and requires it to reconsider within 48 hours the request to conduct non-partisan voter awareness campaigns during the local body elections.- Ends