Aims of study: To identify the factors pertaining to such postponements and to find out a workable solution to prevent postponements caused due to avoidable reasons. Postponement of elective surgery puts financial and psychological pressure on patients. Methods: This study was planned to analyse reasons for postponement of elective surgeries.Duration of study was one year from December 2007 to November 2008 Results: Total number of elective surgeries as recorded were 1245, out of these 177 were postponed. Highest number of postponed cases was due to inadequate preparation of patients 28.8%. Next main cause included multiple Medical reasons 23.7%. Another important reason was shortage of OT time (20.3%) for various reasons. Few other causes were, less number of anesthetists and surgeons15 (08%), power cut11 (6.2%), interrupted water supply7 (4.00%), sudden declaration of holydays and strikes5 (2.8%) etc were also recorded. Conclusion: Two factors appeared\for postponement of surgeries. First were unexpected medical emergencies that constrained surgeons to postpone surgeries and second included holidays that were declared late or strikes of workers, too accounted for detention of 26.55 % of cases. It can not be controlled by any mean. Postponements due to inadequate preparation and shortage of OT time were more than 50 % (60 %) identifying these two areas to be intervened first, specifying the areas where maximum improvement is required. Still other reasons that occupy small spaces on scale of percentage, individually, appear big when combined together (27.2 %) suggesting that small efforts are required.