Counting of votes begins for GTA polls in Darjeeling

Counting of votes polled during the elections to the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration in Darjeeling hills and Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad in north Bengal began on Wednesday morning. Polls to the GTA, the semi-autonomous council that governs the Darjeeling hills, were held on Sunday, after a decade marked by a series of changes in the region's political dynamics.

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) swept the first and only GTA polls in 2012, winning all the seats. Elections could not be held in 2017 due to a violent statehood agitation, with a state-appointed administrative body taking over the reins of the council.

In Siliguri, counting started in nine seats of the Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad (sub-divisional council), 22 panchayats, and four panchayat samitis at 8 am.

''The TMC is leading in Siliguri Mahakuma Parishad as per early trends,'' an official said.

By-elections were also held in six wards of six municipalities of the state.

The Congress retained ward number 2 of Jhalda Municipality in Purulia, winning it by a margin of 778 votes, whereas the Trinamool Congress took a lead in ward number 8 of Panihati Municipality in North 24 Parganas district, he said.

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