Kolkata, Feb 14 (PTI) The West Bengal government is planning to hold the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) elections soon after the civic polls in the state are over, a senior official said on Monday.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has advised the political leaders in the hills to starting preparing for the much-awaited GTA elections, he said.
Elections to the 45-member semi-autonomous council, whose jurisdiction spreads across Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, are due since 2017. The last gram panchayat election was held in the hills at least 21 years ago.
“Once the elections to the 108 municipalities are over by March 8, the administration will start preparations to hold GTA polls. The CM has personally advised the leaders in the hills to start preparing for this,” the state government official told PTI.
In October last year, Banerjee had said that GTA elections will soon be held and initiatives will also be taken to conduct the panchayat polls in the hills.
In 1992, the Constitution was amended to set up a two-tier panchayat system in the hills, comprising a gram panchayat and a panchayat samity, unlike the rest of the state where a three-tier system with zilla parishad as the highest tier exists.
Another state government official said that no constitutional amendment was required to hold two-tier rural elections. PTI SCH ACD ACD
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