In the event that any official required to participate in any act leading to the calling or holding of the required election or the execution of any required contract shall refuse to perform such act alleging as his reason illegality of the proposed election or the proposed contract, the board may institute judicial proceedings to compel such steps to be taken and legality of the election or the contract to be determined. All cases in which there may arise a question of the validity of any proceeding under this act shall be advanced as a matter of immediate public interest and concern, and heard at the earliest practicable moment. The courts shall be open at all times for the purposes of this act.