GTA puzzled over state’s ‘termination’ order on tenure of board members
Telegraph | 14 May 2026
The Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) on Wednesday received an order from the state government for “termination of tenures”, but sources said the hill body is unable to act on it due to a lack of clarity on its implementation.
A source in the GTA said that the hill body received the order issued by the home and hill affairs department on Monday.
The order relates to “termination of tenures of the nominated Member/Directors/ Chairperson of non-statutory bodies, entities and public sector undertakings and termination of tenures of re-employment/extension of service of officers/ officials in different offices under the State Government.”
“The GTA is a statutory body to start with, and our understanding is that the order should be applied only to non-statutory bodies, but then GTA received the order today and hence we need a bit of clarity,” said a source.
The GTA has also nominated members in various departments.
“The appointment of these nominated members was passed by the GTA, and they are not drawing their remuneration from the state government. The GTA is using its own funds for their remuneration,” said another source.
The GTA has 45 elected GTA Sabha members and 5 nominated members in the Sabha. “There is a provision in the GTA Act which was given assent by the President of India. Given the uniqueness of GTA in the state, we are looking for GTA-specific clarity,” said a source.
The source added that they have received “matching orders” from departments like backward classes and tribal departments, stating that the tenures of “the nominated members/chairpersons/vice-chairpersons of all development/cultural/welfare boards….” stand terminated with immediate effect.
“About the 16 boards in the Darjeeling hills, there is no ambiguity with regard to the termination of all board members,” a source said.
The GTA also received an order for the termination of the tenures of employees on extension.