Missing Mayor: Rethinking Urban Governance in India

Context

1. The election of Zohran Mamdani as Mayor of New York City has highlighted how Indian cities lack visible, empowered, accountable Mayors.
2. Major developments in Indian cities like BMC election (2026), merging of Telangana municipalities into GHMC, and dividing BBMP into five corporations have revived debates on urban governance reform.

What Is the Issue? (Core Governance Problem)

1. Indian cities do not have powerful, directly accountable Mayors. Instead, city affairs are controlled by:
   1. The Chief Minister
   2. State bureaucracy
   3. Parastatal agencies (water boards, development authorities)
   4. MLAs and MPs acting as ex-officio municipal members
2. This weakens local democracy, accountability, and service delivery.

Who is a Mayor?

A Mayor is the elected head of a municipal corporation (urban local government) in a city. A Mayor is the political leader of the city, similar to how a Chief Minister leads a State. The Mayor represents the city, oversees civic issues, and works with councillors and municipal officials.

Why Mayors in India Are Weak?

1. Historical evolution
   1. India has one of the world’s oldest urban local governments (e.g., Madras Municipality, 17th century).
   2. Mayors were once influential—especially during the freedom struggle.
   3. Post-Independence, urban policy became State-centric, reducing local authority.
2. Post–74th Constitutional Amendment paradox
   1. The Amendment aimed to empower ULBs, but devolution never matched political reality:
      1. States retained powers.
      2. Parastatals were strengthened.

• Bureaucracy overshadowed elected bodies.

1. Municipal finances stayed weak.

3. Public apathy
   1. Citizens rarely demand stronger urban local governments.
   2. Elections are frequently delayed or postponed through excuses like delimitation or restructuring.

Why Governance of Cities Is Unresponsive Today

1. Chief Minister’s dominance
   1. Decisions on urban planning, funds, infrastructure are made in the CM’s office.
   2. Municipal bodies lack autonomy in:
      1. Budgeting
      2. Project approvals

• Personnel appointments

2. MLAs/MPs overshadow corporators
   1. They sit on municipal councils as ex-officio members.
   2. Mayors and corporators become politically subordinate.
3. Weak functions + weak finances
   1. ULBs handle only minor tasks.
   2. Major services (water, transport, sanitation, planning) handled by state-level bodies.

Are Recent Measures Helping? (BBMP split, GHMC merger, BMC delays)

1. Experts argue NO: these are political strategies, not governance reforms.
2. Examples:
   1. BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) split into 5 corporations → used to delay elections.
   2. GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) expansion → centralised power, no improvement in decentralisation.
   3. BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) elections delayed for years → citizens lack representation.
3. The core problem: Without financial and political devolution, administrative changes don’t matter.

What Should Improve?

1. Citizens must demand decentralisation
   1. Urban governance will improve only when people:
      1. Demand timely municipal elections
      2. Demand strong Mayors

• Understand the role of local governments

2. Reduce CM office control
   1. Reforms require:
      1. Clear division of powers
      2. Empowered Mayors

• Reduced role of MLAs in municipal functioning

3. Strengthen municipal finances
   1. Ward-level budgeting
   2. Predictable fund transfers
   3. Power to raise local taxes
4. Reform parastatal agencies
   1. Water boards, development authorities, transport boards should be made accountable to elected ULBs.

Implications

1. Urban service delivery suffers (waste, transport, drainage).
2. Chronic election delays weaken democracy.
3. Smart city aspirations fail without grassroots governance.
4. Cities cannot respond effectively in crises (floods, pollution).
5. Economic productivity is limited — cities contribute ~70% of GDP but remain institutionally weak.

Challenges & Way Forward

Conclusion

India’s global cities cannot thrive with outdated governance structures. Empowering elected Mayors, devolving finances, and reforming parastatals are essential to building responsive, resilient, and truly democratic urban systems.