Know Your Corporator

With the 2020 BBMP elections fast approaching, B.PAC is on a mission to prepare the citizens with all the valuable information needed for them to make an informed decision at the ballot. The Know Your Corporator initiative is our answer to the above. During the entire month of December, we will be releasing pertinent information on all BBMP wards in Bengaluru and the corporators who oversee them to help bridge the gap between the residents and their respective municipal representatives.

To understand our civic structure and how each stage of the hierarchy works with one another to ultimately contribute to the civic wellness of our country, an understanding of the various levels, their roles and responsibilities needs to be understood.

The Structure

India has three levels of government: Central, State and Local. Consequently, we have three layers of elected representatives; Member of Parliament, Member of Legislative Assembly and Corporator respectively.

This multilayered administrative system has created confusion among citizens as to whom to engage with to sort our issues, especially Civic Issues. So let’s understand their roles & responsibilities.

Roles and responsibilities of elected representatives of a THREE tier system of governance in a federal democracy

1) Member of Parliament (MP) – represents the parliamentary constituency. Their duty is to make, repeal and amend laws in the country. MPs are accountable to the Parliament (Lok / Rajya Sabha).

2) **Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA)* –** represents the assembly constituency. Their duty is to make, repeal and amend laws in the state/union territory. MLAs are accountable to the State Legislature (Assembly / Council).

3) Corporator/Councilor –** represents the municipal ward. Their duty is to raise/resolve civic issues within the ward. Corporators are accountable to the Municipal Council.

* An MLA can also be a Municipal Councilor simultaneously

**A Corporator/Councilor can also be an MLA at the same time

URBAN GOVERNANCE

Urban Governance is administration and development of all civic amenities within their jurisdictional area.

BBMP is solely responsible for the administering governance of all civic issues in 198 wards of Bengaluru city for the benefit of Bengalureans.

Elected Head Administrative Head

Mayor Commissioner

Deputy Mayor

Spirit of the 74th Amendment of the Constitution

“Local Government, that is to say, the constitution and powers of municipal corporations, improvement trusts, district boards, mining settlement authorities and other local authorities for the purpose of local self-government or village administration.” – The Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992.

The main provisions introduced by the above Act are as under:-

1) Constitution of Municipalities – It provides for constitution of 3 types of municipalities depending upon the size and area namely;

(i) Nagar Panchayat for an area in transition from rural to urban areas;

(ii) Municipal Council for smaller urban area; and

(iii) Municipal Corporation for larger urban area. Demographic and other conditions, which are determining factors for constituting a particular type of municipality differ a great deal from one state to another.

The Bill as reported by the Joint Parliamentary Committee was taken up for consideration and passed by the Lok Sabha on 22nd December, 1992 and by the Rajya Sabha on 23rd December, 1992 and it received the assent of the president on 20th April, 1993. It was published in the Government Gazette on 20th April 1993 as the “Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, 1992”.

Roles and Responsibilities of a Corporator

Keep your friends close and your Corporators closer! Bengaluru has 198 wards, each with their own elected Corporator whose primary responsibility is to make the acts of the Municipal Corporation, resolve basic civic problems and spend the funds for the development of their ward.