ShaneraDeF at 12:49, 11 March 2026

2026-03-11T12:49:54Z

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{{Short description|Ceremonial head of a municipal corporation}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox official post
| post = Mayor
| body = <br>Municipal Corporation/Municipality
| native_name =
| insignia = Emblem of India.svg
| insigniasize = 50px
| insigniacaption = [[Emblem of India]]
| insigniaalt =
| flag = Flag of India.svg
| flagsize = 150px
| flagalt =
| flagborder =
| flagcaption = [[Flag of India]]
| image =
| imagesize =
| alt =
| imagecaption =
| incumbent =
| acting =
| incumbentsince =
| department =
| style = The Hon’ble
| type =
| status =
| abbreviation =
| reports_to =
| nominator =
| appointer = Elected by the councillors of the municipal corporation
| termlength = 5 Years
| unofficial_names =
| deputy = [[Deputy Mayor]]
| salary = Varies by state
| website = 
| footnotes =
| constituting_instrument = State Municipal corporation/municipality Acts.
| seat = Municipal Corporation Office
}}
In [[India]], a '''mayor''' is the [[Figurehead|ceremonial head]] of a city's [[Municipal corporation (India)|municipal corporation]] and is often referred to as the first citizen of the city. The [[mayor]]'s role is primarily ceremonial and lacks [[executive power]]s, with the [[Municipal commissioner (India)|municipal commissioner]] serving as the executive head of a municipal corporation. The method of electing mayors—whether [[Direct election|directly]] or [[Indirect election|indirectly]]—depends on [[States and union territories of India|state]] legislation.<ref>{{cite web|last=Jha|first=Ramanath|title=Strengthening municipal leadership in India: The potential of directly elected mayors with executive powers|url=https://www.orfonline.org/research/strengthening-municipal-leadership-in-india-the-potential-of-directly-elected-mayors-with-executive-powers|website=orfonline.org|access-date=24 May 2024|date=4 September 2018}}</ref>

Municipal corporation mechanisms in India was introduced during [[British Raj]] with formation of municipal corporation in Madras ([[Chennai]]) in 1688, later followed by municipal corporations in Bombay ([[Mumbai]]) and Calcutta ([[Kolkata]]) by 1726.<ref name="May ref5">{{cite news |last1=Gupta |first1=Anupam |title=City Mayors: Indian Mayors |url=http://www.citymayors.com/mayors/indian-mayors.html |access-date=29 October 2021 |publisher=citymayors.com}}</ref> However the process of introduction for an elected president in the municipalities was made in Lord Mayo's Resolution of 1870. Since then the current form and structure of municipal bodies followed is similar to Lord Ripon's Resolution adopted in 1882 on local self-governance. The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 was introduced providing for the transfer of 18 different powers to urban local bodies, including the election of a mayor and to recognise them which included municipal corporations, [[Nagar panchayat|Nagar Panchayats]], [[Municipal council (India)|Municipal Councils]].<ref name="May vij5">{{cite news |title=Why Rahul Gandhi's promised 'mayoral reforms' are important for India's cities |url=https://citizenmatters.in/why-rahul-gandhis-mayoral-reforms-are-important-for-the-cities-of-india-10850 |access-date=29 October 2021 |publisher=Citizen Matters |date=3 April 2019}}</ref>

== History and administration ==

Many municipal corporations which are headed by mayors, till the early 1990s were under the full control of the local governments with little functional, financial and administrative autonomy to the mayors.<ref name="may ref5">{{cite news |title=Directly Elected Mayors A Step towards Democratic Urban Governance |url=https://www.epw.in/journal/2019/46/commentary/directly-elected-mayors.html |access-date=30 October 2021 |publisher=epw.in |date=22 November 2019}}</ref> However, with the introduction of The 74th Amendment Act of 1992 made provision for the urban local bodies (ULB) as self-governing institutions. Since it came into operation in April 1993, many salutary provisions were made in the Act with positive outcomes.<ref name="May ref8">{{cite news |last1=S |first1=Swaminathan |title=View: India needs empowered cities to nurture elected mayors for top political jobs |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/make-real-an-urban-legend/articleshow/80773414.cms?from=mdr |access-date=30 October 2021 |publisher=economic times |date=9 February 2021}}</ref> However steps are being taken to dilute the powers of the local governments and heads of corporations or Mayors to have complete control of urban local bodies.<ref name="may ref1">{{cite news |title=Directly elected mayor: An idea whose time has come |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/directly-elected-mayor-an-idea-whose-time-has-come/story-XUhycvDC7wcTCxthjsUY7O.html |access-date=29 October 2021 |publisher=Hindustan Times |date=20 July 2016 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="may ref4">{{cite news |title=Odisha government for 'direct election' of mayors |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/odisha-government-for-direct-election-of-mayors/cid/1826667 |access-date=30 October 2021 |publisher=TelegraphIndia |date=16 August 2021}}</ref><ref name="may ref16">{{cite news |title=2 more states roll out reforms for common man; get additional funds from Centre amid pandemic |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/economy/2-more-states-roll-out-reforms-for-common-man-get-additional-funds-from-centre-amid-pandemic/2156117/ |access-date=31 October 2021 |publisher=financialexpress.com |date=23 December 2020}}</ref>

A mayor of a city though formally elected from amongst the corporators holds a ceremonial post and [[Municipal commissioner (India)|Municipal commissioner]] of Corporation<ref name="May ref10">{{cite news |last1=Iyengar |first1=Radhika |title=Can we have a mayoral committee govern our cities? |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/web-edits/can-we-have-a-mayoral-committee-government-our-cities-4536794/ |access-date=30 October 2021 |publisher=indianexpress.com |date=21 February 2017}}</ref> and his staff who are drawn from the IAS cadre and appointed by the state government controls The executive, financial and administrative powers in the corporation.<ref name="may ref1"/>

== Election and tenure ==
The method of electing mayor and their tenure varies for each city in India. In [[Bengaluru]], [[Karnataka]] the election process is indirect with a tenure being for one year, in Mumbai [[Maharashtra]] it follows indirect elections with tenure for two and a half years and [[Bhopal]], [[Madhya Pradesh]] follows a directly elected mayor with a term for five years.<ref name="May ref3">{{cite news |title=Rahul Gandhi wants to directly elect mayors. But is it a workable idea for India? |url=https://theprint.in/opinion/rahul-gandhi-wants-to-directly-elect-mayors-but-is-it-a-workable-idea-for-india/216578/ |access-date=30 October 2021 |publisher=The Print |date=4 April 2019}}</ref>

Indian states of [[Bihar]], [[Chhattisgarh]], [[Haryana]], [[Jharkhand]], [[Madhya Pradesh]], [[Odisha]], [[Telangana]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], and [[Uttarakhand]] had created respective provisions in the acts governing municipalities for the direct election of Mayors by citizens of cities.<ref name="may ref4" /><ref name="may ref6">{{cite news |title=Leaders welcome direct election for Mayor |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/chandigarh/leaders-welcome-direct-election-for-mayor-650585 |access-date=30 October 2021 |publisher=tribuneindia |date=10 September 2018}}</ref><ref name="May ref9">{{cite news |title=In need for a comprehensive institutional reform in India: implementing a directly elected executive mayor with mayor-in-council system |url=https://iglus.org/in-need-for-a-comprehensive-institutional-reform-in-india-implementing-a-directly-elected-executive-mayor-with-mayor-in-council-system/ |access-date=30 October 2021 |publisher=iglus.org |date=13 September 2019}}</ref>

Tenure of mayors of cities in India varies from one year to five years.<ref name="May ref9" />

== Roles and responsibilities ==

Role of the mayor.<ref name="Vij ref1">{{cite news |title=What does the Mumbai mayor do? |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/what-does-the-mumbai-mayor-do/story-v0JOu7HbKoBKD7N2AHDiuJ.html |access-date=29 October 2021 |work=Hindustan Times |publisher=Hindustan Times |date=9 March 2017 |language=en}}</ref>

1) Governs the local civic body.

2) Fixed tenure varying in different towns.

3) First citizen of city.

4) Has two varied roles – Representation and upholding of the dignity of the city during ceremonial times and a presiding over discussions of the civic house with elected representatives in functional capacity.

5) The mayor's role is confined to the corporation hall of presiding authority at various meetings relating to corporation.

6) The mayor's role extends much beyond the local city and country as the presiding authority at corporation meetings during visits of a foreign dignitary to the city as he is invited by the state government to receive and represent the citizens to the guest of honour.

7) At government, civic and other social functions he is given prominence.

== Important actions ==

1. In 2021, All-India Mayor's Council held its 111th Convocation in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India, with where the council head and mayors of different states of India demanded rule of one nation and one election.<ref name="may ref7">{{cite news |title=Mayors' council demands one-nation, one-election rule for Ma |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/mayors-council-demands-one-nation-one-election-rule-for-mayors-implementation-of-74th-amendment/articleshow/86152218.cms |access-date=30 October 2021 |publisher=Times of India |date=13 September 2021}}</ref>

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.allindiamayorcouncil.com/ Official Website]


[[Category:Mayors of places in India| ]]
[[Category:Positions of authority]]

Mayor (India) - Revision history

ShaneraDeF at 12:49, 11 March 2026