The hilly territory of Darjeeling was ceded to the Britishers by the Raja of Sikkim through a deed of grant on 1st February, 1835.

The limit of the Darjeeling Municipality, which was constituted in 1850 were originally co-extensive with those of the area ceded by the Raja of Sikkim in 1835 and extends from the hills below Pankhabari to the borders of Sikkim on the north. The Municipality area as now begins at Jorebunglow to the South & extends to a point on the road to Tukvar below St. Josephs’s College on the north. On the east, it is bounded by a strip of land below the Calcutta Road, that runs past and below the Chowrasta and the Bhutia Busti, and on the west, it is bounded by the Cart Road.

Initially in British times, the affairs of the Municipality was looked after by a Municipal Board consisting of 20 members with the Dy. Commissioner as Chairman and European Municipal Commissioners as members nominated by the Government. At present, the Board of Councillors consisting of 32 elected Ward Commissioner as members is the highest decision making body headed by the Chairman. The Chairman-in-Council, consisting of Chairman & Vice-Chairman as ex-officio members and five nominated members is the executive body and the Executive Officer is the member-convenor. The CIC meets on regular basis to discuss and decide on all matters related to municipal activities and services.

The present board, headed by Smt. Prativa Tamang (Rai) is in office w.e.f. 16.01.2018 and during the last four months, many important activities in respect of SWM, Street Lighting, Health, Housing, Conservancy, Rain-water Harvesting and Tax Reforms have been initiated. Read more...