GTA polls conclude peacefully in hills
30 July 2012 9:06 AM GMT
Polling for the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) in 17 seats conducted peacefully in the hills of West Bengal on Sunday. Gorka Janmukti Morcha (GJM), Trinamool Congress as well as an Independent candidate contested the polls. Out of the 45 seats, GJM has already won 28 seats unopposed and polling was held on Sunday for remaining 17 seats.
GJM President Bimal Gurung, wife Asha Gurung and general secretary Roshan Giri are among those who have already won the election uncontested. There is a total of 212065 voters and 292 polling stations in 17 constituencies under Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong subdivisions and about 75 per cent of the electorate cast their votes on Sunday, as per the Government sources.
Voters apparently boycotted three polling stations - Belgachi, Panighata and Sukna. However, there was no any untoward incident reported. Counting will be held on August 2 and the GTA swearing ceremony is scheduled to be held on 4 August in presence of Home Minister P Chidambaram, MP Jaswant Singh and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Meanwhile, Calcutta High Court has declined to pass any interim stay on the formation of the GTA board in the hills but issued an interim order saying the new board would have to abide by the result of the case moved by DGHC chief Subash Ghisingh, who had challenged the legality of GTA Act, 2011.
Justice Dipankar Dutta, in his interim order, said there would be no bar on holding election, taking oaths and resuming the office by the GTA board members. ‘But the board members will have to abide by the result of the case.’
On 19 June, the High Court had admitted the case moved by GNLF leader Subash Ghisingh who has challenged the legality of the GTA.
GJM President Bimal Gurung, wife Asha Gurung and general secretary Roshan Giri are among those who have already won the election uncontested. There is a total of 212065 voters and 292 polling stations in 17 constituencies under Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong subdivisions and about 75 per cent of the electorate cast their votes on Sunday, as per the Government sources.
Voters apparently boycotted three polling stations - Belgachi, Panighata and Sukna. However, there was no any untoward incident reported. Counting will be held on August 2 and the GTA swearing ceremony is scheduled to be held on 4 August in presence of Home Minister P Chidambaram, MP Jaswant Singh and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Meanwhile, Calcutta High Court has declined to pass any interim stay on the formation of the GTA board in the hills but issued an interim order saying the new board would have to abide by the result of the case moved by DGHC chief Subash Ghisingh, who had challenged the legality of GTA Act, 2011.
Justice Dipankar Dutta, in his interim order, said there would be no bar on holding election, taking oaths and resuming the office by the GTA board members. ‘But the board members will have to abide by the result of the case.’
On 19 June, the High Court had admitted the case moved by GNLF leader Subash Ghisingh who has challenged the legality of the GTA.
Next Story
