Suvendu orders show-cause notices against ‘absconding’ panchayat netas
Times of India | 4 July 2026
Siliguri: Chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday directed officials to issue show-cause notices to “absconding” gram panchayat pradhans, zilla parishad members and sabhadipatis in north Bengal, saying governance and public services must not suffer due to the prolonged absence of elected representatives.
Chairing a high-level administrative review meeting at Uttarkanya, Adhikari instructed officials to continue development work and disburse funds in accordance with the Act and rules if elected representatives fail to cooperate.
After the meeting, he said, “80% of gram panchayat pradhans, elected representatives to the municipalities and GTA are absconding and not coming to their offices. The govt should work 24 x 7. Services cannot remain pending for any politician or individual. I have instructed the officials to show-cause them. If they do not cooperate with the officials, then the officials will spend money on the developmental work according to the Act and rules.”
He said nearly 300 development projects were underway and funds had to be released without delay. Alleging that many public representatives had gone into hiding to avoid public anger over alleged cut money, he added, “Those who are absconding should either surrender before the police or resign.”
The meeting, attended by North Bengal Development minister Nishith Pramanik, Tourism minister Shankar Ghosh, Darjeeling MP Raju Bista and senior bureaucrats, focused on improving governance and speeding up development across north Bengal.
Adhikari said Uttarkanya had failed to function as a full-fledged administrative hub and announced measures to expand services so residents would no longer need to travel to Kolkata for routine govt work.
He also announced plans for an AIIMS, a cancer hospital, medical colleges in Kalimpong, Alipurduar and Balurghat, expansion of Hasimara Army Airfield into a commercial airport, operationalisation of Balurghat and Malda airports, and the upgradation of Cooch Behar Airport.
Reviewing flood preparedness, Adhikari said additional police personnel and disaster management teams would be deployed in vulnerable districts. He is scheduled to revisit north Bengal on July 20.