‘Chairman of Jhalda Municipality should be elected on January 16’

KOLKATA: The High Court on Friday ordered that the Chairperson of Jhalda Municipality in Purulia should be elected on January 16 (Monday) at 11 am.

The order was passed by Justice Amrita Sinha, who dismissed the notification of the appointment of temporary Chairperson by the state government. Justice Sinha had earlier in December stayed the state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs (UDMA) department’s notification nominating TMC councillor Jaba Machhowar as Chairperson of the Municipality.

The election of the new Chairperson will take place under the supervision of the District Magistrate (DM) and police.

Not only will there be a fresh election, Justice Sinha ordered the entire process to be videographed.

The UDMA department had published the notification on December 2.

Thereafter, the Calcutta High Court stayed the nomination of Machhowar till January 5 and had directed the Purulia DM to oversee the municipal work as administer during the time.

The Congress councillor Shila Chatterjee moved the HC challenging the notification. In the 12-member Jhalda municipality, Congress and TMC have five councillors each along with two Independents.