Govt drafts GTA election rules
3 February 2012
bappaditya paul
KOLKATA, 3 FEB: Faced with the Bimal Gurung-led Gorkha Jan Mukti
Morcha's (GJMM) threat of a renewed Gorkhaland agitation, the state
government, headed by chief minister Mamata Banerjee, seems to have
expedited the process of forming an autonomous Gorkhaland Territorial
Administration (GTA).
As part of the move, the state government has drafted separate
election rules for GTA.
The government has extended the term, by six months, of the
high-powered committee headed by retired Justice Mr Shyamal Sen
entrusted to finalise the GTA territory and also the President's
assent is awaited for the GTA Bill.
The draft GTA Election Rules, containing 50-odd pages, has been
prepared by the state home department. It has drawn provisions from
the Representation of the People Act, 1951; Conduct of Elections
Rules, 1961 and the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (Election) Rules,
1988.
The draft is expected to be finalised in a week or so by a committee
on GTA headed by state home secretary GD Gautama. It will then be sent
to the state law department for clearance.
In the final leg, the GTA Election Rules will go to the state Assembly
for ratification ~ provided President Pratibha Patil has given her
assent to the GTA Bill by then, thus making it an Act.
The GTA Bill was passed in the state Assembly on 2 September 2011 and
was sent for the President's approval in December.
According to sources in the state home department, the proposed GTA
Election Rules have certain special features that were not part of the
DGHC (Election) Rules.
“In the DGHC (Election) Rules there was provision for holding
elections on ballot papers only. In the proposed GTA's rules we have
added the option of EVMs. Since the GTA will be a more powerful
autonomous administrative body, we have incorporated clauses on Model
Code of Conduct (MCC) and other measures to curb corrupt practices
during elections,” said a senior official.
Once finalised, the GTA Election Rules will govern the direct
elections for the 45 proposed constituencies of the GTA Sabha. The
Sabha will also have five members nominated by the state government.
These 50 members in turn will elect a chairperson from amongst
themselves.
It is however, not yet clear if the GTA elections will be conducted by
the State Election Commission (SEC) or the government would appoint a
3 February 2012
bappaditya paul
KOLKATA, 3 FEB: Faced with the Bimal Gurung-led Gorkha Jan Mukti
Morcha's (GJMM) threat of a renewed Gorkhaland agitation, the state
government, headed by chief minister Mamata Banerjee, seems to have
expedited the process of forming an autonomous Gorkhaland Territorial
Administration (GTA).
As part of the move, the state government has drafted separate
election rules for GTA.
The government has extended the term, by six months, of the
high-powered committee headed by retired Justice Mr Shyamal Sen
entrusted to finalise the GTA territory and also the President's
assent is awaited for the GTA Bill.
The draft GTA Election Rules, containing 50-odd pages, has been
prepared by the state home department. It has drawn provisions from
the Representation of the People Act, 1951; Conduct of Elections
Rules, 1961 and the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council (Election) Rules,
1988.
The draft is expected to be finalised in a week or so by a committee
on GTA headed by state home secretary GD Gautama. It will then be sent
to the state law department for clearance.
In the final leg, the GTA Election Rules will go to the state Assembly
for ratification ~ provided President Pratibha Patil has given her
assent to the GTA Bill by then, thus making it an Act.
The GTA Bill was passed in the state Assembly on 2 September 2011 and
was sent for the President's approval in December.
According to sources in the state home department, the proposed GTA
Election Rules have certain special features that were not part of the
DGHC (Election) Rules.
“In the DGHC (Election) Rules there was provision for holding
elections on ballot papers only. In the proposed GTA's rules we have
added the option of EVMs. Since the GTA will be a more powerful
autonomous administrative body, we have incorporated clauses on Model
Code of Conduct (MCC) and other measures to curb corrupt practices
during elections,” said a senior official.
Once finalised, the GTA Election Rules will govern the direct
elections for the 45 proposed constituencies of the GTA Sabha. The
Sabha will also have five members nominated by the state government.
These 50 members in turn will elect a chairperson from amongst
themselves.
It is however, not yet clear if the GTA elections will be conducted by
the State Election Commission (SEC) or the government would appoint a
special election officer as was the case with the DGHC.
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