HC rejects GNLF plea, GTA election to be held on June 26

Darjeeling: The Calcutta High Court has given a nod to Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) election as per schedule. There is no bar in the counting process or declaration of result. The decision has been welcomed by political parties in the Hills.

The Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) had filed a writ petition in the Calcutta High Court on May 10 this year challenging the constitutionality of the GTA and praying for a stay on the election scheduled for June 26.

On Friday, Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya ordered: "The Court is not inclined to grant the relief as prayed for, namely to stay the election process which was initiated from 10th May, 2022 or restraining the respondents from giving any effect to the election results till the writ petitions are heard out. The challenge to the constitutional validity remains and will be considered by the Court on a date which is convenient to all the parties and with the leave of the Court," ordered Justice Bhattacharya.

"We welcome the court's decision. Elections to the GTA are important as public representatives who are the elected voice of the masses should run the autonomous body. We had been preparing for elections for long. The writ petition is a failed attempt by opposition parties to halt development activities in the Hills and create unrest," stated LB Rai, chairman, Trinamool Congress.

The Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha has also welcomed the court's decision. "Earlier, attempts to label the GTA as unconstitutional had failed. There have been no earlier stays though the GNLF had filed a writ challenging the constitutional validity of the GTA in 2013. We were confident that elections would be held as per schedule," stated Amar Lama, general secretary, BGPM.

The GNLF stated that they had attempted to raise the discontent of the Hill populace by filing the writ petition in the High Court.

"The court will soon hear the matter relating to the constitutional validity of the GTA," stated Sandeep Limbu of the GNLF.

Raju Bista, BJP MP from Darjeeling stated that the saffron party and its allies would work towards the complete eradication of the GTA once and for all.