HC admits petition demanding polls in 3 North Bengal municipalities

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court has admitted a petition demanding the holding of elections in three municipalities of North Bengal where polls were not held allegedly for more than two years and are instead being run by administrators.

The Bench of Chief Justice TS Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharyya was hearing a PIL that was directed against the non-holding of municipal elections to three Hill municipalities of Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik for more than two years since the term of the last elected Board of Councillors expired in April 2022 without assigning any reason for such ‘inaction”.

The petition, to support its demand, also cited Section 26 (2) of the West Bengal Municipal Act, 1993 which states: “The general election in a municipal area to constitute the Board of Councillors shall be held before the expiration of the term of office of the existing Board of Councillors on such date ( not earlier than six months prior to the date on which the duration of its term of office would expire under Sub-Section (2) of Section 14) as the state government may fix for

the purpose”.

The petition said that since 2022 instead of holding elections, administrators were appointed to run the municipalities and till date, even after the expiry of more than two years, the administrators are running these civic bodies in violation of provisions under Section 14 and Section 26 of the West Bengal Municipal

Act, 1993.

The petition contended that due to the absence of elected representatives of their wards in the municipalities, the residents are suffering hardships and environmental hazards in terms of garbage cleaning and many other civic amenities ensured through these municipalities.

Neither are the residents able to ventilate their grievances through elected representatives. It was alleged that their requests to hold elections failed to evoke any response from the state. The court has listed the matter for admission.