Functions and Powers of the Executive Mayor

A municipal corporation is a self-governing elected body that is tasked with the administration of cities and towns. The mayor is the executive head of the municipal corporation. The whole concept of a municipality and a corporation was initiated by British colonizers. The first municipal corporation was established in 1688 in the erstwhile Madras, or what is now called Chennai.

The Role of Mayor and Other Responsibilities

The British colonists divided their entire colony into three provinces, namely Madras, Bombay, and Kolkata. So, after Madras, two more municipal corporations were established in Bombay and Kolkata. Until the 1990’s, the function and the power of the mayor were very limited, and mostly local governments controlled all the municipalities. But after 1992, when the 74th amendment was enacted, all of these urban bodies were given autonomy and power (including functional and financial power). In this way, the mayor has the power to have complete control over all the urban bodies. The mayor is elected by the residents of the city, and IAS cadres are employed by the state government to look after the executive, financial, and responsibilities of the municipal corporation. The functions and powers of the executive mayor include: 1) administration of the local urban body, 2) arranging the tenure of different civic bodies, and 3) presiding over meetings with other elected representatives of the civic body. Another distinct power and function of the executive mayor is that he is considered the town’s first citizen; he is also the ceremonial head of the municipal corporation; and one of his most important duties is to uphold the city’s dignity. Other responsibilities of the mayor include presiding over various meetings about the activities of the municipal corporation. 

Municipal Finance Management Act

In India, municipal corporations are funded by the respective state governments according to the municipal finance management act. Though the method of municipal election and tenure of the executive mayor vary in different states of India, for example, the tenure of the mayor in Bangalore is one year, the tenure of the mayor in Mumbai is two and a half years, and the tenure of the mayor in Bhopal is five years, and in Bhopal, the mayor is directly elected. Different states of India have different provisions for municipal structures. One thing that can be concluded is that the tenure of a mayor in India varies between one and five years. After several amendments were enacted, steps are being taken to decentralise the power structure or transfer power to the civic body or the mayor from the state government. The current structure of the municipal corporation in India is heavily influenced by the resolution taken under the governance of Lord Ripon in 1882. The main components of this resolution were taken from Lord Mayo’s resolution in 1870. Though after the 74th amendment was enacted in 1992, 18 prominent powers, such as the election of the mayor, the power to recognise them, etc., were transferred to the civic bodies from the state government. All these urban bodies include municipal corporations, municipal councils, Nagar Panchayats etc. The municipal manager is appointed by the municipal council. He is accountable for the budget, regular expenditure, assets of the corporations, financial audits, etc. of the entire municipal corporation. Also, the municipal manager’s responsibility includes adherence to proper legislation that is applicable to the municipality. 

Conclusion

Municipal corporations and Nagar Nigams are very important civic bodies that play important roles in self-governance and the decentralisation of power. The idea of decentralisation of power and self-governance is heavily influenced by the Gandhian ideology of Gram Swaraj. These structures are integral to the administrative structure of India, and so these concepts are extremely important for different government exam aspirants. The aspirants must take good care of these concepts, especially function and the power of the executive mayor, financial management act, etc.