darjeeling: After 23 long years finally the areas under the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), formerly the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC), are all set to hold two-tier Panchayat elections. Political outfits have started preparations in full throttle for the Panchayat polls to be held on July 8.
“We will hold two-tier Panchayat elections in the GTA area as per the announcement of the election commissions. All necessary preparations have been made. Nomination has started from Friday at all block offices. This time ballot paper and boxes will be used. Strong rooms and counting centres will be made in each block,” stated S. Ponnambalam, District Magistrate, Darjeeling and the Principal Secretary, GTA.
Incidentally in the GTA area elections will be held to the Gram Panchayats and Panchayat Samities. With the formation of the DGHC in 1988, the three tier Panchayat system prevalent throughout the country was replaced by a two tier system in the Darjeeling Hills by amending the Indian Constitution in 1992. For reinstating the three tier Panchayat in the GTA area, the constitution has to be re-amended.
In the Darjeeling Hills the last Panchayat election was held in the year 2000 with the then GNLF party under Subash Ghising objecting to Panchayat elections in 2005 alleging that the Panchayat was diluting the powers of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC.) Since then Panchayat elections have not been held in the Hills. In 2000, election was held to the Gram Panchayat only with Ghising expressing fears that the Panchayat Samity would overlap the powers and functions of the DGHC.
With Panchayat elections being declared the political camps were a beehive of activity in the Hills. Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) held a party meeting in Mungpoo on Friday. “BGPM will win the Panchayat elections in the GTA area. In the party election manifesto we had clearly stated that we will get back the Panchayat raj in the Hills and we have lived up to our commitments. After more than two decades the Hills are going to Panchayat polls,” said Anit Thapa.
Gautam Deb, TMC leader and Mayor of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, on the sidelines of a Government programme in Kalimpong, talking to media persons stated: “Since long our party has been preparing for the Panchayat elections. We welcome the elections in the GTA area also. This is important for the rural areas.”
Reacting to the BJP MPs winning from the Darjeeling constituency, Deb stated: “Three times BJP MPs have won from here. However they have not done anything for the Hills. What have they given to the Hills except empty assurances? There has been no development done by them. Hills and plains of the Darjeeling constituency will be voting against BJP. Anit Thapa is working very well. He is working for the development of the Hills.”
Through a social media post Ajoy Edward, president Hamro Party announced an alliance with Bimal Gurung’s Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) stating: “Two parties have come together, this is just a start to a grand alliance for our people in the panchayat areas in the districts of Kalimpong and Darjeeling. Gorkha Ekta Jindabad.” He also shared a photograph of himself with Bimal Gurung.
The GTA area comprises parts of the Darjeeling district mainly the hills and the Kalimpong district.
5 blocks fall under the GTA area in the Darjeeling district with 387952 electors. There are 70 Gram Panchayats with 598 seats and 5 Panchayat Samities with 156 Panchayat Samity constituencies under the GTA in Darjeeling district. There are 514 polling stations. “In the Kalimpong district there are 42 Gram Panchayats with 260 constituencies and 280 seats. There are 4 Panchayat Samities with 76 constituencies.
The rural elector population is 175932. There will be 263 polling stations,” stated R Vimala, District Magistrate, Kalimpong.