Express News Service

Indian Express Newsline, March 17, 1998

The state government today finally introduce the much-touted bill to amend the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act to provide for a Mayor-in-Council system in the corporation.

Introducing the bill in both the Houses of the stte legislature, the minister of stte for urban development, Ravindra Mane, said that as per the government's commitment to strengthen the urban local bodies, the bill sought to enhance the mayors' powers as compared to those of the municipal commissioner.  "We do not want the mayor to be just a figure head.  SInce he has been elected democratically, he should enjoy more powers than a bureaucrat," Mane said.

The bill seeks to divide the corporation's power structure into two committees- the mayor's council headed by the mayor and an accounts committee headed by the leader of the opposition.

The two committees would replace all the existing committees in the corporation including the all-powerful standing committee, the education committee, the improvement committee, the BEST committee and the wards committee.  The minister said that this would lead to better coordination in municipal works and also increase efficiency.

The mayor-in-council, which would constitute elected members of the corporation, would have a tenure of two-and-a-half years.  The strength of mayor's council, however, would be flexible.

Apart from the mayor, there would also be two other posts of a deputy mayor and a chairman of the council.  While the tenure of the deputy mayor too would be of two-and-a-half years, that of the chairman would be onely one year.

The chairman's post would be reserved for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and women candidates in turns.

The accounts committee, which would be independent of the mayor's council, would have eight members and the committee's tenure would be one year.

In event of the mayor-in-council failing in carrying out its duties or failing to respond to the state government's instructions, the government would be empowered to dissolve the corporation.

The right of dissolving the corporation was so far  with the corporation but it has been now transferred to the state government.