Darjeeling Municipality was dissolved yesterday 18th of May, 2019, and the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appointed the Additional District Magistrate (general) as an administrator to run the Darjeeling Municipality for a period of six months or till newly-elected councillors take over.
The West Bengal government dissolved the Darjeeling Municipality under sub-section (2) of section 431 of the West Bengal Municipal Act, 1993, an order issued by its Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Department said.
It said that with the dissolution of the municipality an administrative vacuum has emerged which is “required to be filled to ensure smooth running of public services in the municipal area of the said municipality in public interest”.
The order also said that with the dissolution all powers and functions vested upon municipal authorities under this act or any other law in force shall be exercised by the administrator appointed by the state government.
The ADM (general,) Darjeeling, has been appointed as the administrator of the Darjeeling Municipality with “immediate effect for a period not exceeding six months or until the newly elected Councillors take over charge, whichever is earlier,” the order said.
It may be recalled that 17 councillors from Darjeeling Municipality had recently joined BJP, and placed a no confidence motion against the current board, which is led by Binay Tamang loyalist Prativa Rai Tamang.
Earlier this month, West Bengal government had similarly dissolved Naihati civic body, after majority of the councillors joined BJP. This was challenged in the courts.
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