Constitution of India · Part IX: The Panchayats
Article 243-O: Bar to interference by courts in electoral matters
In plain words
Laws on drawing Panchayat constituencies or allotting seats under article 243K cannot be challenged in any court. A Panchayat election can be challenged only by an election petition to the authority, and in the manner, the State Legislature provides by law.
A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.
Official text
Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution,—
(a) the validity of any law relating to the delimitation of constituencies or the allotment of seats to such constituencies, made or purporting to be made under article 243K, shall not be called in question in any court;
(b) no election to any Panchayat shall be called in question except by an election petition presented to such authority and in such manner as is provided for by or under any law made by the Legislature of a State. [PART IXA
Source: India Code (Legislative Department), the official text of the Constitution of India. As amended up to the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023. Text as on 10 September 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.
Supreme Court judgments citing the article 243-O
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A. Raja v. D. Kumar
Whether the Appellant belongs to the Hindu Parayan caste in the State of Kerala and is covered by the 1950 Order insofar as it relates to the State of Kerala; whether the Appellant had still retained the Hindu Parayan…
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Vijay Bahadur v. Sunil Kumar & Ors.
Allegation of disparity in the counting of votes in the election for position of ‘Gram Pradhan’. Whether the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, was justified in ordering a recount of the votes cast.
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Kishorchandra Chhanganlal Rathod v. Union of India & Ors.
Whether exercise of statutory powers under the Delimitation Act, 2002 are insusceptible to powers of judicial review under Article 226 of the Constitution of India.
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Union Territory of Ladakh v. Jammu and Kashmir
High Court whether justified in dismissing the appeal filed by appellants and upholding the interim order of Single Judge directing them to notify the symbol allotted to Respondent no.1 (R1) and allow the candidates set…
- Union of India v. Rajendra N. Shah and Another
- State of Goa & Anr. v. Fouziya Imtiaz Shaikh & Anr.
- Laxmibai v. The Collector, Nanded & Ors.
- Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (Dmk) v. Secretary Governors Secretariat and Ors.
- State of Bihar & Ors. v. The Bihar Secondary Teachers Struggle Committee, Munger & Ors.
- Justice K. S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India & Ors.
- Bengal State Election Commission and Ors. v. Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Ors.
- Bharati Reddy v. The State of Karnataka & Ors.