Alipurduar, Sept. 29 -- The prolonged uncertainty over the functioning of the Alipurduar Municipality has eased temporarily after the Calcutta High Court's Division Bench set aside a Single Bench order removing the administrator and directed that the administrator continue overseeing the civic body to ensure uninterrupted public services.
The order was passed on Tuesday while hearing the state government's appeal against the Single Bench ruling. Following the order of the Division Bench comprising Justice Rajasekhar Mantha and Justice Ritabrata Kumar Mishra, Sub-Divisional Officer Richard Lepcha will resume charge as administrator of the municipality.
The municipality has been facing a prolonged deadlock since the announcement of the election results. After the chairman and vice-chairman resigned in June, the state government dissolved the Trinamool Congress-run board and appointed an administrator.
The decision was challenged by Congress councillor Shantanu Debnath. Acting on his petition, a Single Bench of the Calcutta High Court's Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench set aside the government's decision, following which Lepcha had to step down.
Meanwhile, efforts were made to form a new municipal board. Sources said an informal understanding had reportedly been reached between Debnath and several Trinamool Congress councillors.
However, the initiative stalled after no application seeking formation of a new board was submitted to the municipality's executive officer within the court-mandated deadline. The state government subsequently approached the Division Bench challenging the Single Bench order.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.