Municipal council
Also called: Nagar Palika, Nagar palika parishad · Topic: Urban Local Government: Municipalities and Cities · NCERT: Class 6, Ch 12 "Grassroots Democracy – Part 3: Local Government in Urban Areas"; Class 10, Ch 2 "Federalism"; Class 11, Ch 8 "Local Governments"
Meaning
A municipal council is the urban local body for a smaller urban area. Art. 243Q of the 74th Amendment creates it. Voters in each ward elect its members, and it is headed by a chairperson. It provides local services such as water, sanitation, street lights and roads. The Governor decides which areas are municipal councils.
Example
Class 6 describes a municipal council as serving between 1 lakh and 10 lakh people. This is a simplified figure. Real criteria differ by state, and so do names such as nagar palika or nagar parishad.
Don't confuse with
- Municipal corporation: a corporation serves a larger urban area and is headed by a mayor.
- Nagar panchayat: a nagar panchayat serves a transitional area that is changing from rural to urban.