The Ms Mamata Banerjee led West Bengal government on Monday announced election to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) on July 29.
The notification for the election of members to the new body of GTA was issued by Mr Basudeb Banerjee, Home Secretary and secretary to the Hill Affairs Department.
The new body of GTA will replace the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. GTA is an autonomous body to look into the administration of the region including establishment of socio-economic infrastructure, education and cultural development.
According to the notification there would be 45 single-member constituencies, the extent of which has already been delimited and published.
The last date for filing of nominations is July 9, date of scrutiny would be the next day and last date for withdrawal is on July 12. Counting would be taken up on August 2. Polls would be cast between 7:00 am and 4:00 pm.
Interestingly, a five-member Gorkha Janmukti Morcha delegation, headed by its president Mr Bimal Gurung, is likely to meet the Union Home minister, Mr P Chidambaram, on Tuesday over the recommendations of Justice (retd) Shyamal Sen Committee.
The GJM had earlier rejected the committee’s recommendations for the inclusion of five Gorkha dominated mouzas (an area less than a subdivision), in the Terai and Doars in the plains of Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling district against GJM’s original demand of 396.