GTA defers selecting chief

SNS, Darjeeling: The GTA sabha meeting which was supposed to be held today to select the new chief executive has been deferred. 

The GTA principal secretary, Mr R D Meena, said, “The election for the new GTA chief executive will be held according to the procedures laid in the GTA Act. The date will be decided after consultation with the state government.” Mr Pradip Pradhan, the chairman to the GTA, said that as per the GTA Act, the election would be held on the receipt of 10- days’ notice issued by the principal secretary. 

“After the PS serves the notice, the state government can appoint anybody as a nominated chief executive who would function for ten days before the final selection. The sabha members would accordingly sit to appoint the next chief executive,” Mr Pradhan said. 

He also asserted that they are right now in the thick of the statehood movement, saying, “Time would decide things,” sounding non-committal on the continuance of the GTA, given the acrimony between the GJMM and the state over the Gorkhaland movement.