Bengal government to soon initiate process for elections to three municipalities in hills: Firhad Hakim

'We will start a process of holding polls in Mirik, Kurseong and Kalimpong soon,' Municipal Affairs and Urban Development minister said

PTI, Calcutta, 09.12.24 : The West Bengal government will soon initiate a process for elections to three municipalities in the hills, a minister said in the assembly on Monday.

The three civic bodies are Kurseong, Mirik and Kalimpong.

"We will start a process of holding polls in Mirik, Kurseong and Kalimpong soon. We want to provide better civic amenities to the people living in these areas," Municipal Affairs and Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said while responding to a question in the assembly.

The dates of holding the polls will be announced soon, he said.

Elections to the three municipalities had last been held in 2017 and currently, these civic bodies are under the rule of administrators.

The GJM had won the 2017 polls to the three civic bodies.

Elections to the Darjeeling Municipality in the hills were held in 2022.

MP, 10 Dec 2024, Kolkata: The state government has initiated the process for holding elections in three Hill municipalities namely Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik where polls have been pending for nearly 18 months. 

Administrators have been appointed for the functioning of the three municipalities. “Elections are pending in Kurseong, Kalimpong and Mirik municipalities. We have initiated the process for holding the polls. 

There are some administrative issues,” said state Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister in response to a query from BJP’s Kurseong legislator Bishnu Prasad Sharma. Hakim’s statement indicates that elections in the Hill municipalities will be held soon. 

It was in 2017 when four Hill municipalities — Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik — witnessed polls. The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha had bagged the first three municipalities while Trinamool Congress swept the polls in Mirik. 

The tenure of the municipalities ended and it was only Darjeeling civic body that went for polls in 2023 with Hamro Party led by Ajoy Edwards wresting control. However, later Anit Thapa-led Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha took control of the Darjeeling Municipality Board. 

The next municipal election is scheduled in 2027 while the Assembly polls will be held in 2026. It is expected that the elections in the three pending municipalities will be held much earlier, as indicated by Hakim. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/dont-think-well-have-lollipops-when-you-come-to-occupy-our-land-590032?infinitescroll=1