The need to extend the short tenures of mayors wherever applicable, including Chandigarh’s one year term as it is considered too short for meaningful development, was highlighted again at the 118th All India Mayors Conference in Chandigarh on Monday. Mayors from across the country called for uniformity in tenure, an issue echoed by Punjab ghovernor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria, who also sought uniformity in the manner of electing Mayors.
Kataria also noted that five years tenure may also be too long in some cases. “There should be uniformity in the tenure of mayor. In Chandigarh and Delhi, the term is one year, which is so short that the mayor is not even able to meet all officials of various departments in that time.
Chandigarh mayor Saurabh Joshi while addressing around 40 mayors from 19 states said the current variation in tenure—from one to five years—hampers urban governance. They said a 12-month term leaves little time for development, as much of it is spent on procedural work and tenders. In Gujarat, the mayor is elected for 2.5 years, while in UP it is five years,” said All India Mayors’ Council general secretary and former Aligarh mayor Ashutosh Varshney.
Kataria said the Chandigarh administration has already proposed extending the mayor’s one-year term to two-and-a-half years before the Union ministry of home affairs. “There are MC’s in which House meeting means only fights and are called once in six months (where the tenure of mayor is five years),” he said while advising the Mayors to be patient and to stay focussed only at work (not political fights).
Rajya Sabha MP and AIMC regional head Naveen Jain advocated a uniform five-year tenure, along with clearly defined and uniform roles, responsibilities and powers. Jain also pointed to differences in the method of election. councillors elect them in others While mayors are directly elected by people in some places. “In Rajasthan, people used to elect the Mayor.
He said the 74th Constitutional Amendment should be implemented in letter and spirit to empower urban local bodies and strengthen the institution of Mayor. After the Congress government came to power, the law was changed and now councillors elect the mayor,” he said. Renu Bala Gupta, chairperson, All India Mayors’ Council, said the deliberations of the conference were aimed at strengthening the role and responsibilities of Mayors, including enhancing their powers and ensuring a uniform tenure. Kataria said mayors are the first point of contact for citizens and must meet public expectations. “Once you win, you are not from BJP or Congress or any party, you have to work for everyone, rising above party politics.”
