Want to hold GTA polls in May-June, says Mamata
siliguri: Elections to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) will be held in May-June this year. The State government is also eager to hold three-tier Panchayat elections and has urged the Union government to bring about necessary amendments in the Constitution to incorporate a three-tier Panchayat system in the Hills.
"With peaceful civic polls in the Hills, We want to hold GTA elections by May-June. We are also eager to hold Panchayat elections in the Hills. In the Hills a two-tier Panchayat system is in place. We
have urged the Union government for the amendment of the Constitution to incorporate a three-tier Panchayat in the Hills. We can then hold elections to the Panchayat.
This has to be done on a priority basis so that people
of the Hills can elect representatives of their choice," stated Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Siliguri on Sunday.
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 the 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.
"I will be staying in the Hills for three days. In Darjeeling, I will hold talks with different political outfits to workout different issues pertaining to GTA and Panchayat elections," said Banerjee who is also the TMC supremo.
She will also be attending a government programme at the Darjeeling Mall on 29th March.
After the government programme at Gosaipur, Siliguri, Mamata Banerjee departed for Darjeeling Hills.
TMC along with Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha (BGPM) supporters lined both sides of the street to welcome the Chief Minister to the Hills. Welcome gates have also been erected all along the way.
After reaching Darjeeling, the Chief Minister headed for Richmond Hill government Guest House.
