Gangtok Municipal Corporation

Gangtok Municipal Corporation
History
Founded2010 (2010)
Leadership
Nell Bahadur Chettri[1]
Tshering Palden Bhutia[1]
Gayden Chopel
Seats19[1]
Elections
Last election
2021[1]
Next election
2026

Gangtok Municipal Corporation is the municipal corporation of Gangtok city of Sikkim state in India.

History

The Gangtok Municipal Corporation Act, 1975, establishes a Municipal Corporation in Gangtok, and applies to the town of Gangtok.[2] The first-ever historic elections of the Gangtok Municipal Corporation consisting of 15 wards, was held on 27 April 2010[3]. The Corporation was formed as part of the reforms under JNNURM.[4] The councilors took the oath of allegiance to their offices on 12 May 2010.[5] 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.[5] 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.[5]

Administration

The Municipal Corporation is divided into 19 administrative wards.[5][6] It consists of democratically elected members (councillors) and is headed by the Mayor.[6] 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.[7] In 2020, the number of wards was increased to 19.[7] The newly created wards were Bojoghari 2nd Mile and Pani House.[8]

Councillors elected in 2021 Elections (19 Wards)

Zone Ward Number Ward Name[9] Areas Covered Assembly Constituency Councillor[10][9] Political Group
1 Bojoghari, 2nd Mile Ward Mr Palzor Lepcha
2 Burtuk Ward Mr Nell Bahadur Chettri
3 Lower Sichey Ward Ms Kala Rai
4 Upper Sichey Ms Aruna Chettri
5 Chandmari Ward Ms Chungkela Lepcha
6 Tathangchen Ward Ms Pema Lhamu Maltha
7 Development Area Ward Mrs Tshering Palden
8 Diesel Power House Ward Ms Bindhya Cintury
9 Arithang-I Ward Mr K Tempo Tapgyal Bhutia
10 Arithang-II Ward Mr Raju Tamang
11 Lower MG Marg - Lall Bazaar Ward Mr Ashok Kr. Prasad
12 Upper MG Marg Ward Mr Sundeep Malu
13 Tibet Road Ward Mrs Diki Lhamu Lepcha
14 Deorali Upper Syari Ward Ms Sabita Pradhan
15 Pani House Ward Mr Norbu Tamang
16 Daragaon Lumsey Ward Mr Milan Gautam
17 Tadong Ward Mr Chewang Thendup
18 Tadong 6th Mile Mrs Rubina Gurung
19 Ranipool Ward Mrs Asha Chettri

List for 17 Wards

Zone Ward Number Ward Name[11] Areas Covered Assembly Constituency[11] Political Group
1 Upper Burtuk 28-Upper Burtuk & 29-Kabi Lungchuk
2 Lower Burtuk 28-Upper Burtuk & 29-Kabi Lungchuk
3 Lower Sichey -I 28-Upper Burtuk
4 Lower Sichey -II 28-Upper Burtuk
5 Upper Sichey 28-Upper Burtuk
6 Chandmari Ward 29-Kabi Lungchuk & 23-Syari
7 Development Area 27- Gangtok & 28- Upper Burtuk
8 Diesel Power House Ward 27-Gangtok
9 Arithang Ward 26-Arithang
10 Lower M.G. Marg Ward 26-Arithang
11 Upper M.G. Marg 26-Arithang & 27- Gangtok
12 Tibet Road Ward 27-Gangtok
13 Deorali Ward 25-Upper Tadong & 26-Arithang
14 Dara Goan Ward 25-Upper Tadong
15 Tadong Ward 22-Namchebong
16 Ranipool Ward 22-Namchebong
17 Syari/Tathangchen Ward 23-Syari &26- Arithang

List of Mayors and Deputy Mayors

Mayors

Sl Name Tenure Ward name
1 K.N. Topgay[12] 2010 - 2014 Chandmari Ward [12]
2 Lashey Doma Bhutia[13] 2014 - 2015 Syari
3 Shakti Singh Choudhary[14] 2015-2020 Upper M.G. Marg
4 Nell Bahadur Chettri[5][15][16] May 2021 - Burtuk ward

Deputy Mayors

Sl Name Tenure Ward name
1 Shakti Singh Choudhary[17] 2010-2015 Upper M.G. Marg
2 Lassey Doma Bhutia 2015-2020 Tathangchen ST(W)
3 Tahering Palden Bhutia[16] May 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."[18]

Revenue sources

The following are the Income sources for the corporation from the Central and State Government.[19][20][21]

Revenue from taxes

Following is the Tax related revenue for the corporation.

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

  1. ^ a b c d Dhungel, Pankaj (4 May 2021). "Sikkim: Suspense over, Nell Bahadur Chettri is new Gangtok mayor". EastMojo. Retrieved 5 June 2022.
  2. ^ "The Gangtok Municipal Corporation Act, 1975" (PDF).
  3. ^ "Clean Sikkim Green Sikkim - Gangtok Municipal Corporation" (PDF).
  4. ^ "State Annual Action Plan (FY 2017-18)" (PDF).
  5. ^ a b c d e "Welcome!". gmcsikkim.org. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  6. ^ a b "Gangtok Municipal Corporation (Sikkim)". MyBharat. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  7. ^ a b "Aquifer Management Plan of Gangtok Municipal Corporation, Sikkim" (PDF).
  8. ^ "Sikkim municipal elections on Mar 31". Sikkimexpress. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  9. ^ a b "Welcome!". gmcsikkim.org. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  10. ^ "Wayback Machine" (PDF). sikkim.gov.in. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 3 December 2025.
  11. ^ a b "Gangtok Municipal Corporation (Ward to Ward Boundary Demarcation)".
  12. ^ a b "Gangtok Civic Chief Removed".
  13. ^ "Sikkim NOW!: Gangtok gets a new Mayor". Sikkim NOW!. 26 August 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  14. ^ "Interview: Mayor of Gangtok Shakti Singh Choudhary on how Gangtok is treating waste as treasure – ICLEI South Asia". southasiaoffice.iclei.org. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  15. ^ "Nell Bahadur Chettri sworn in as the new mayor of Gangtok". Archived from the original on 14 April 2025. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  16. ^ a b "Wayback Machine" (PDF). www.sikkim.gov.in. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 June 2024. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  17. ^ "Welcome!". www.gmcsikkim.org. Archived from the original on 12 June 2025. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
  18. ^ "Praja's Urban Governance Dialogue" (PDF).
  19. ^ Jadhav, Radheshyam (3 December 2020). "Why civic bodies in India need municipal bonds". www.thehindubusinessline.com. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  20. ^ "Municipal corporations under severe strain as revenues sink: RBI Report". Business Today. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  21. ^ "If cities are to deliver better quality life, need to have business models which are sustainable". Financialexpress. 17 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.