Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2022

⪻ Articles ⪼

With an aim to merge the Capital՚s three municipal corporations- South, North, and East-ten years after the trifurcation of the civic body, the Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2022 was likely to be tabled in the Indian Parliament. The government of India in 2011 proposed the trifurcation of the MCD for better efficiency. In November 2011, the ministry of home affairs cleared the proposal post which the Delhi government convened a special assembly session and passed the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill in December 2011.

In January 2012, the final notification for the trifurcation was issued carving out North, South, and East Delhi municipal bodies with 104 awards given to the first two and 64 to the latter.

Delhi to Get a Unified Corporation

Need of the Amendment

Multiple Problems Faced

Over the years, trifurcated MCDs faced multiple problems such as non-payment of salaries of the safai karamcharis, uneven distribution of property tax, inefficient management, and growing losses, etc.

Division Problem

  • The trifurcation was uneven as far as territorial divisions and revenue generating potential of each corporation are concerned.
  • Huge gap was created in the resources՚ availability.

Gaps Widened

  • Over a period, the gap has widened thereby increasing the financial difficulties of the three municipal corporations.
  • The municipal corporations were left incapacitated to make timely payment of the salaries and retirement benefits to their employees.
  • Creation of serious impediments in civic services՚ maintenance in Delhi.

Municipal Corporation

  • It is the urban local government body.
  • It is responsible for the development of any Metropolitan City with a population of more than one million.
  • Some of the other names of the Municipal Corporations are Mahanagar Palika, Nagar Palika, Nagar Nigam, City Corporation, etc.
  • While they are established in the States by the acts of the State legislatures in the UTs they are established through the acts of the Parliament.
  • For funding their operations, the Municipal Corporations rely heavily on property and tax revenue.
  • In India, the first Municipal Corporation was created in Madras in 1688 followed by Municipal Corporations in Bombay and Calcutta in 1726.

Composition of the Municipal Corporation

  • Each municipal region is divided into geographical constituencies known as wards which is based on the population.
  • Each ward elects a representative who is chosen by the residents of that ward.
  • Based on adult franchise, the members of the wards committee are elected for a five-year term.
  • A corporator or the councilor is the chosen representative of a certain ward.
  • The number of wards in a municipal area is determined by the population of a city with reserved seats for:
    • Scheduled Castes
    • Scheduled Tribes
    • Disadvantaged Classes
    • Women

Constitutional Provisions

As far as the local self-government is concerned, no provision was made for the establishment except the incorporation of Article 40 in the DPSP.

74ThAmendment Act, 1992

Inserted a new Part IX-A to the Constitution dealing with the administration of the Municipalities and the Nagar Palikas.

✍Examrace Team at