Rural governance structure of Darjeeling yet to become clear

SILIGURI: Despite political turmoil Darjeeling in the northern part of West Bengal is yet to have a clear rural governance structure. Amid the demand of separate statehood, the hill state enjoyed a special status of being under two tire Panchayat governance that is now under question. Though many political parties have started demanding continuation of that against nationwide practice of a three tire Panchayat system.
A autonomous body Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council(DGHC) was set up under DGHC Act 1988 that was exempt from the operations of the Panchayat Acts and the Municipal laws under Article 243 M(3) and Article 243 ZC(2) of Indian Constitution. Instead of three tire Panchayat system of the whole country, as a special case, the DGHC area was put under two tire Panchayat system while DGHC itself was to enjoy the status of third and highest tire of Panchayat operation ‘Zilla Parishad.’

As per another agreement signed between West Bengal state and a new political force Gorkha Janamukti Morcha(GJM) in 2011, DGHC was repealed and a new body Gorkhaland Territorial Administration(GTA) was formed. GJM came to power in it under active support from West Bengal’s new ruling party Trinamool Congress.

Now, "Official end of DGHC brought back Darjeeling to the earlier and standard system of three tire Panchayat system.GTA cannot work as third tire like DGHC with continuation of two tire panchayat - unless Constitution is further amended to give GTA the same status," explained legal experts.

But no one became active enough to persuade for the amendment in last three years as "We want usual three tire Panchayat in addition to GTA," demanded GJM General Secretary Mr. Roshan Giri earlier.

Interestingly, planning of reintroduction of three tire system started bring in conflicts in jurisdiction between the new zilla parishad and GTA. On the other side, continuation of two tire system also did not remain clean enough from legal point of view.

At this juncture, "If needed, let it be in two tire only. But we want Panchayat election soon," said GJM President Binal Gurung. Interestingly, CPIM, the known greatest rival of GJM has also opined in favour of continuation of two tire system.

However, "Concrete resolution of this problem is not likely to come soon as it does not seem to be any priority now for the state Government that is now overloaded with many problems from different angles."