Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today asserted that elections will soon be held in the hills, but the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) reiterated it would not participate in the polls without inclusion of new areas in the Gorkha Territorial Administration (GTA).
Therefore, elections for the formation of the GTA appears uncertain even after the GTA bill got presidential assent on Wednesday.
“The GTA agreement has been made and election will be held in accordance with it,” Mamata told reporters at Writers’ Buildings.
Roshan Giri, GJM general secretary, said, “We cannot have election in the hills until the high-power committee submits its report on the inclusion of the areas of the Terai and Dooars. We will request the government to form an interim GTA or nominated GTA body to be run by the administrator at present.” The Morcha had earlier demanded that 400 mouzas from the Terai and Dooars region be included.
The act says the GTA will be formed with 45 constituencies. However, at present, there are 28 constituencies in the Darjeeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC). The administration has the scope of dividing the 28 constituencies into 45 constituencies through delimitation.
Harka Bahadur Chhetri, MLA of Kalimpong and central committee member of GJM, said, “We know that the administration has planned that the moment the GTA receives presidential assent, they will divide the 28 Assembly constituencies in 45 constituencies after delimitation. And election can be held thereafter. But if this happens, we will not participate in the election.”
With the GTA bill’s presidential nod, the immediate implication is that the GTA has to be operational, for which election is necessary.
Taranga Pandit, chief of the GJM legal cell, said: “We cannot have elections with 28 Assembly seats now, as it will be technically and legally wrong. So we have to wait till the committee is set up to determine the territory.”
The high-power committee will meet on March 16 when, sources said, the decision on the modus operandi for determining the territory will be taken.
Therefore, elections for the formation of the GTA appears uncertain even after the GTA bill got presidential assent on Wednesday.
“The GTA agreement has been made and election will be held in accordance with it,” Mamata told reporters at Writers’ Buildings.
Roshan Giri, GJM general secretary, said, “We cannot have election in the hills until the high-power committee submits its report on the inclusion of the areas of the Terai and Dooars. We will request the government to form an interim GTA or nominated GTA body to be run by the administrator at present.” The Morcha had earlier demanded that 400 mouzas from the Terai and Dooars region be included.
The act says the GTA will be formed with 45 constituencies. However, at present, there are 28 constituencies in the Darjeeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC). The administration has the scope of dividing the 28 constituencies into 45 constituencies through delimitation.
Harka Bahadur Chhetri, MLA of Kalimpong and central committee member of GJM, said, “We know that the administration has planned that the moment the GTA receives presidential assent, they will divide the 28 Assembly constituencies in 45 constituencies after delimitation. And election can be held thereafter. But if this happens, we will not participate in the election.”
With the GTA bill’s presidential nod, the immediate implication is that the GTA has to be operational, for which election is necessary.
Taranga Pandit, chief of the GJM legal cell, said: “We cannot have elections with 28 Assembly seats now, as it will be technically and legally wrong. So we have to wait till the committee is set up to determine the territory.”
The high-power committee will meet on March 16 when, sources said, the decision on the modus operandi for determining the territory will be taken.
IE
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