Gorkhaland Territorial Administration case: SC postpones matter till Apr first week

The Supreme Court on Friday postponed the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) matter till April first week after the Centre and West Bengal Government sought more time to file their replies on the same.

Earlier in January, the apex court had issued a notice to the West Bengal Government on the petition filed by GTA challenging refusal to transfer administrative power to it.

An apex court bench headed by Chief Justice of India Jagdish Singh Khehar, which then issued notice to the West Bengal Government, sought a reply from it.

The petition filed by GTA member Binay Tamang in September last year claimed that the state government's decision was "impinging upon the fundamental rights of the Gorkha people living in the hill areas of the district of Darjeeling".

The bench headed by the then Chief Justice T. S. Thakur had asked for the 2011 notification issued by the West Bengal Government promising transfer of power in terms of a memorandum of agreement (MoU) to be presented before the court.

However, the officials had then said the petition alleging the state government's refusal to transfer administrative power is misleading.