Directly Elected Presidents of Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats to Have Membership and Voting Rights – Ordinance to be Issued

 Directly Elected Presidents of Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats to Have Membership and Voting Rights – Ordinance to be Issued

The State Cabinet has decided to promulgate an ordinance to amend the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965, to grant membership and voting rights to directly elected Presidents of Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

A person who is eligible to be elected as a member of a Municipal Council or Nagar Panchayat is also eligible to be elected as its President. Therefore, an individual may be elected simultaneously as both President and Member, having received a mandate from the electorate for both positions.

Accordingly, under the proposed amendment, a person directly elected as President and also directly elected as a Member will be permitted to hold both positions simultaneously. Such a President will have the right to one vote as a Member.

In the event of a tie in voting, the President will continue to exercise the casting (decisive) vote. The Cabinet has approved the issuance of an ordinance to implement these amendments.