Municipal Election
The Municipal Election is held to elect the representatives of local government. It is held at urban local body level or municipality level.
What are Municipal Elections in India?
- The members of Municipality or Nagar palika are elected in municipal elections of India.
- They are elected for a period of five years.
- The municipality is divided into wards based on population. The representatives are elected from each ward. The elected members then elect a president among themselves to conduct meetings.
- The State Election Commission conducts the Municipal elections in India. It is held by the State Election Commissioner appointed by the Governor.
What is the history of Municipal Governance in India?
- The Municipal Governance existed in India since 1664. In 1664, the Dutch established the first Municipality at fort Kochi. Later in 1687, the British formed the Madras Municipal Corporation. Later the Bombay and Calcutta Municipal Corporation in 1726.
- Lord Ripon is known as the Father of Local Self Government. He was the Viceroy of India in 1882. He passed a resolution of local self-government that led to the democratic forms of municipal governance in India.
- The Government of India act 1935, brought the local government under the purview of the states.
What does the 74th Constitutional Amendment say about Municipalities?
In 1992, the 74th constitutional amendment was passed. It gave constitutional validity to the municipal governments. It included three categories of urban local bodies namely Municipal Corporation (Mahanagar Nigam), Nagar Panchayat or the Notified Area Council or City Council and Municipality or Nagar Palika. Among these three, the municipal corporations enjoy greater fiscal autonomy.
What does Twelfth Schedule of constitution say about Municipalities?
The Schedule – 12 provides 18 functions of the municipalities. These are as follows:
- Public Health: Water Supply, Sanitation and sewerage, Eradication of communicable diseases
- Public Welfare: Education, recreation
- Regulatory Functions: Birth registration, enforcing building regulations, encroachments on public land
- Public Safety: Street Lighting, fire control
- Public works: Construction and maintenance of roads, town planning, development of commercial markets
- Besides these, it does the works as instructed by the State Government. Also, the municipalities work towards urban poverty alleviation programs, planning economic development and social justice and promotion of aesthetic and cultural aspects.
