The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) has filed a writ petition in the Calcutta High Court against the Bengal government and the state election commission for not holding elections in the four Hill Municipalities within the period of six months from the expiry of tenure of the boards.
The tenure of the Darjeeling, Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik Municipalities had expired in December 2016.
After the expiry of tenure of the boards, the sub-divisional officers of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong were appointed as administrators of the four civic bodies. The writ petition is scheduled to come up for hearing on March 15.
"Though the election process was initiated by the state government with the preparation of the roster, it has failed to give valid reasons for not being able to hold elections till date. As the Hill Municipalities come under the GTA, the state should have communicated the reason for the delay," said P T Ola, member-in-Charge, Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Department, GTA.
Ola claimed that with the expiry of the tenure of the boards, the GTA had written to the Additional Chief Secretary, Government of West Bengal and the State Election Commission regarding this. "However we received no answer" added Ola.