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 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.
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.
Kataria also noted that five years tenure may also be too long in some cases. “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).
“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. 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.
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. He said the 74th Constitutional Amendment should be implemented in letter and spirit to empower urban local bodies and strengthen the institution of Mayor.
Jain also pointed to differences in the method of election. While mayors are directly elected by people in some places, councillors elect them in others. “In Rajasthan, people used to elect the 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 urged mayors to rise above party lines and work selflessly for people. He criticised the mayors who remain in offices, do not visit the field and fail to respond to public calls.
“Being a mayor does not mean just sitting in the office and taking reports from officers. The mayor should wake up at five, six in the morning and go out into the streets, markets and parks without taking any officer along,” he said, asking them to personally check sanitation, roads, drains and public problems.
“The more you move among the public, the more work you will get,” he said, adding, “Never switch off your phone, be available round the clock. If you are busy, ask your personal assistant to note down the calls and return them.”
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.”
He said strong Mayors, empowered municipal bodies and active citizens are essential for building clean, green, safe, inclusive and self-reliant cities and contributing to a developed India.
Kataria also flagged financial constraints faced by municipal corporations. “Even in Chandigarh, we faced shortage of funds until a year ago. We curtailed expenditures. Stop obliging people, there are employees hired and there is no record of their work. There are gunmen unnecessarily kept. Work honestly and diligently for the service of people,” he said.
He also pointed out that committees are sometimes not formed even two years after a mayor assumes charge.
While welcoming former two-time Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher, Kataria mistakenly referred to her as a former Rajya Sabha member. Kher, seated near the stage, quickly corrected him: “Lok Sabha MP, not Rajya Sabha.”
Kataria responded in lighter vein, “Apko bana den Rajya Sabha ka MP (Should we make you the MP of Rajya Sabha?),” drawing laughter from the gathering.
Aneesha Sareen is a Special Correspondent at the Hindustan Times head office in Chandigarh. A reporter with two decades of experience, Aneesha has her eyes and ears firmly on the ground. She has extensively covered crime, courts, administration, politics, the Municipal Corporation and industry across Chandigarh and Punjab. During her stint as HT bureau head in Ludhiana from 2016 to 2023, she led a team of young journalists reporting across the length and breadth of the industrial city and its surrounding areas. She has also worked with the Indian Express and The Tribune in the past. Currently, she covers politics and Administration in Chandigarh. When not chasing stories, Aneesha enjoys travelling and exploring new cuisines.Read More