Gangtok Municipal Corporation is the municipal corporation of the capital city of Gangtok in the Sikkim state of India.
History The Gangtok Municipal Corporation Act, 1975, establishes a Municipal Corporation in Gangtok, and applies to the town of Gangtok. The first-ever historic elections of the Gangtok Municipal Corporation consisting of 15 wards, was held on 27 April 2010. The Corporation was formed as part of the reforms under JNNURM. The councilors took the oath of allegiance to their offices on 12 May 2010. Elections to the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor were held on the same day. K. N. Topgay and Shakti Singh Choudhary were elected as the First Mayor and First Deputy Mayor of the Gangtok Municipal Corporation respectively. The first phase of the three Fs (functions, functionaries, and funds) depending on the capacity of the corporation was devolved to the corporation vide Gazette Notification No 293, dated 25 June 2010.
Administration The Municipal Corporation is divided into 19 administrative wards. It consists of democratically elected members (councillors) and is headed by the Mayor. The councillors are chosen through direct election by all the voters residing in the administrative ward for a term of 5 years. Although the Municipal Corporation is the legislative body that lays down policies for the governance of the city, it is the Municipal Commissioner who is responsible for the execution of the policies. The Municipal Commissioner, appointed by the state government, is the head of the executive arm of the corporation and is assisted by various other officers belonging to different departments in the corporation.
Wards The total number of municipal wards in Gangtok city was increased from 15 to 17 with addition of two new wards in 2015. In 2020, the number of wards was increased to 19. The newly created wards were Bojoghari 2nd Mile and Pani House.
Councillors elected in 2021 Elections (19 Wards) +ZoneWard NumberWard NameAreas CoveredAssembly ConstituencyCouncillorPolitical Group1Bojoghari, 2nd Mile WardMr Palzor Lepcha2Burtuk WardMr Nell Bahadur Chettri3Lower Sichey WardMs Kala Rai4Upper SicheyMs Aruna Chettri5Chandmari WardMs Chungkela Lepcha6Tathangchen WardMs Pema Lhamu Maltha7Development Area WardMrs Tshering Palden8Diesel Power House WardMs Bindhya Cintury9Arithang-I WardMr K Tempo Tapgyal Bhutia10Arithang-II WardMr Raju Tamang11Lower MG Marg - Lall Bazaar WardMr Ashok Kr. Prasad12Upper MG Marg WardMr Sundeep Malu13Tibet Road WardMrs Diki Lhamu Lepcha14Deorali Upper Syari WardMs Sabita Pradhan15Pani House WardMr Norbu Tamang16Daragaon Lumsey WardMr Milan Gautam17Tadong WardMr Chewang Thendup18Tadong 6th MileMrs Rubina Gurung19Ranipool WardMrs Asha Chettri
List for 17 Wards ZoneWard NumberWard NameAreas CoveredAssembly ConstituencyPolitical Group1Upper Burtuk28-Upper Burtuk & 29-Kabi Lungchuk2Lower Burtuk28-Upper Burtuk & 29-Kabi Lungchuk3Lower Sichey -I28-Upper Burtuk4Lower Sichey -II28-Upper Burtuk5Upper Sichey28-Upper Burtuk6Chandmari Ward29-Kabi Lungchuk & 23-Syari7Development Area27- Gangtok & 28- Upper Burtuk8Diesel Power House Ward27-Gangtok9Arithang Ward26-Arithang10Lower M.G. Marg Ward26-Arithang11Upper M.G. Marg26-Arithang & 27- Gangtok12Tibet Road Ward27-Gangtok13Deorali Ward25-Upper Tadong & 26-Arithang14Dara Goan Ward25-Upper Tadong15Tadong Ward22-Namchebong16Ranipool Ward22-Namchebong17Syari/Tathangchen Ward23-Syari &26- Arithang List of Mayors and Deputy Mayors
Mayors SlNameTenureWard name1K.N. Topgay2010 - 2014Chandmari Ward 2Lashey Doma Bhutia 2014 - 2015 Syari3Shakti Singh Choudhary2015-2020 Upper M.G. Marg4Nell Bahadur ChettriMay 2021 -April 2026Burtuk ward5Tshering Palden BhutiaApril 2026-
Deputy Mayors SlNameTenureWard name1Shakti Singh Choudhary2010-2015Upper M.G. Marg2Lassey Doma Bhutia2015-2020Tathangchen ST(W)3Tshering Palden BhutiaMay 2021 - Development Area ward
Gangtok Smart City As per a report from Praja, "Sikkim state government created a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) known as Gangtok Smart City Development Limited (GSCDL) for execution of smart city projects in Gangtok. The Smart City Board initially included both the Mayor and Commissioner. But, since Mayor and councilors are not part of the SPV board, they are not able to put forward ward issues under smart city mission projects."
Revenue sources The following are the Income sources for the corporation from the Central and State Government.
Revenue from taxes Following is the Tax related revenue for the corporation.
Property tax. Profession tax. Entertainment tax. Grants from Central and State Government like Goods and Services Tax. Advertisement tax.
Revenue from non-tax sources Following is the Non Tax related revenue for the corporation.
Water usage charges. Fees from Documentation services. Rent received from municipal property. Funds from municipal bonds.
References