State initiates process to hold polls in 3 Hill municipalities

Kolkata: The state government has initiated the process for holding elections in three Hill municipalities namely Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik where polls have been pending for nearly 18 months. Administrators have been appointed for the functioning of the three municipalities.

“Elections are pending in Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik municipalities. We have initiated the process for holding the polls.

There are some administrative issues,” said state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister in response to a query from BJP’s Kurseong legislator Bishnu Prasad Sharma.

Hakim’s statement indicates that elections in the Hill municipalities will be held soon.

It was in 2017 when four Hill municipalities — Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik — witnessed polls. The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha had bagged the first three municipalities while Trinamool Congress swept the polls in Mirik.

The tenure of the municipalities ended and it was only Darjeeling civic body that went for polls in 2023 with Hamro Party led by Ajoy Edwards wresting control.

However, later Anit Thapa-led Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha took control of the Darjeeling Municipality Board.

The next municipal election is scheduled in 2027 while the Assembly polls will be held in 2026. It is expected that the elections in the three pending municipalities will be held much earlier, as indicated by Hakim.