Mukesh Sharma: With the Lok Sabha Elections wrapped up in Darjeeling Hills and people eagerly waiting May 16 for the results, some sections of the hill populace are now demanding for Panchayat Elections. Following the one back in 2000 under the then Hill council Darjeeling Gorkha Parisad, there have been no Panchayat elections in the Last 14 years. There were changes in the leadership and councils, but the panchayat election never happened.The CPRM Youth Wing DRYF today submitted a memorandum to Kalimpong SDO K Radhika Aiyar demanding for the 3-tier Panchayat election under the GTA.
Wing Secretary Sudan Pradhan today said that the 3 tier Panchayat election provision has been enshrined in under the GTA. “The 3-tier panchayat system will enable stability and strength which can ultimately developed the Hills. The government can form Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Mirik and Bijanbari as Mahakuma Parishad which can pave way easier for the 3-tier system. At present there are 8 block offices which should be increased to 24 and there are 112 gram panchayats that should be increased to 160 and the party has been demanding the same from before said Pradhan”
The memorandum states that the panchayat have been rum by governmental officials since 2005 which is illegal. In a one hand the State has been conducting regular panchayat election in 18 district and the plain area of Darjeeling hills but when it comes to hills they shows how serious are they for the right of Hilly people added The lack of panchayats has affected many areas, especially the rural sector where overall development and benefits through panchayat system are yet to reach Pradhan.
