Elections to GTA on June 26, GJM announces protest 

Notification will be issued on May 27 for elections in 45 seats

The West Bengal government on Tuesday announced that elections to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) will be held on June 26.  The announcement comes amidst calls by political parties and citizen groups against holding elections to the regional autonomous body in Darjeeling hills.  

A.R. Bardhan, Divisional Commissioner of Jalpaiguri, said that notification for the elections would be issued on May 27 for election to 45 seats in the GTA.  

GTA was set up as a result of a tripartite agreement between the Centre, the State government and the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) in 2011. 

Soon after the announcement, GJM president Bimal Gurung announced protests in the hills.  Mr. Gurung, who now claims himself to be an ally of the Trinamool Congress, had written to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee a few days ago urging that the tripartite agreement should be honoured before the polls are held. The GTA has been under the rule of administrators since 2017, when its office bearers resigned during the 104-day long shutdown 

 A press statement by Citizens Forum has said that the announcement has “triggered a range of controversies and confusion in the areas covered by the GTA”.  

The BJP has also expressed reservations about the polls. Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista said that his party would not participate in the elections and even called the GTA “anti-Gorkha”.