Mayor
Topic: Urban Local Government: Municipalities and Cities · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 8 "Local Governments"
Meaning
The mayor is the head of a municipal corporation. The mayor leads the council of elected ward councillors, which is the body that debates and decides. State law decides how the mayor is chosen: either directly by voters or by the councillors. Under state law, the post can be reserved for women, Scheduled Castes (SCs) or Scheduled Tribes (STs). In many cities, real executive power lies with a state-appointed commissioner, not with the mayor.
Example
Delhi's mayor has a one-year term and Mumbai's has two and a half years. In Shelly Oberoi (2023), the Supreme Court held that nominated members cannot vote in the Delhi mayor's election. Around 2005, Class 11 counted more than 30 women mayors in India.
Don't confuse with
- Municipal commissioner: usually an IAS officer appointed by the state, who holds executive power by law in the commissioner system. The mayor heads the elected, deliberating wing.