Trinamool wants Panchayat polls in Hills to be held soon

DARJEELING: Trinamool Congress (TMC), Darjeeling (Hills,) opined that a strong Gram Panchayat system could bring proper development and empowerment to the grassroot level.

The party plans to write to the state government making an appeal to hold elections to the Gram Panchayats soon.

Talking to media persons, LB Rai, president, TMC Darjeeling district committee (Hills,) on Thursday said: "As the Panchayat system is defunct at present, people residing in the rural areas of the Hills have to travel far to block offices with their problems. If there was a functional Gram Panchayat system in the Hills, their problems would have been redressed with ease and speed."

He stated that after the lockdown, the party would hold a meeting and adopt a resolution to this effect. "We will then appeal to the state government and will meet the Panchayats minister seeking Panchayat elections" added Rai.

Incidentally with the formation of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council in 1988, the three-tier Panchayat system prevalent throughout the country was replaced by a two-tier system in Darjeeling Hills by amending the Indian Constitution in 1992.

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.

Later the DGHC was replaced by the GTA. The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Act clearly talks of a three-tier Panchayat system in the GTA area. "Even elections and implementation of a single-tier will emerge as an immediate relief for the masses," opined Rai.