AnitThapa urges establishment of ZillaParishad in Darjeeling and Kalimpong

DARJEELING, : GTA chief executive AnitThapa today took up the demand for the establishment of ZillaParishad in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts with West Bengal Panchayat and Rural Development minister Pradip Kumar Majumdar.

The demand for a three-tier panchayat system in the hills has been long-standing with the ZillaParishad, the top tier, absent since the formation of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (DGHC) in the late 1980s.

In a memorandum submitted to the minister in Kolkata, Thapa highlighted the necessity of a functioning ZillaParishad in both districts for effective governance and development.

“I am writing to bring to your attention the long-overdue establishment of ZillaParishad in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. As you may be aware, Kalimpong was declared a district in 2017, and it is imperative that it has a properly functioning ZillaParishad to ensure structured development,” Thapa wrote in the memorandum.

He emphasized that the absence of a ZillaParishad has created a significant gap in democratic representation, urging the State government to take immediate action to rectify this issue.

The three hill subdivisions in Darjeeling and Kalimpong have historically functioned under a one-tier panchayat system established when GNLF leader SubashGhisingh came to power in the late 1980s. While Gram Panchayat elections were held for a period, they were discontinued after 2000, rendering the system defunct since 2005.

After a gap of 23 years, a two-tier panchayat election was finally held in the hill subdivisions on July 8, 2023. However, the ZillaParishad, the third and highest tier, remains absent.

In the memorandum, Thapa urged the Panchayat and Rural Development minister to issue notification formally announcing the establishment of the ZillaParishad in Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts, ensure necessary infrastructure and personnel to support its functioning, and conduct elections for the ZillaParishad at the earliest to uphold the democratic rights of the people.

 “I hope that you will take immediate action in this matter and ensure that the democratic rights of the people of Darjeeling and Kalimpong are upheld,” Thapa stated.

The GTA Agreement includes a provision for a three-tier panchayat system in the GTA area. However, experts are of the opinion that a constitutional amendment is required to repeal Article 243M(3) which currently restricts the implementation of a full-fledged three-tier system in Darjeeling and Kalimpong.