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What is the History of the MCGM?

August 5, 2014

Bombay was the first British Indian possession, which came as a part of the royal dowry in 1661 to King Charles II of England on his marriage to the Portuguese princess, Infanta Catherine de Braganza.

Ironically enough, Bombay also set the stage for the birth of the country’s historic freedom movement, as well as for some of its major landmarks, including Gandhiji’s 1942 call to the British to “Quit India”. It was in Bombay that the Indian National Congress was born in 1885. It led the country’s struggle for political independence and indirectly to the liquidation of the British Empire.

The name “Bombay” was changed to “Mumbai” by the Corporation Resolution No.512 dated August 12, 1996, Maharashtra Act, XXV of 1996
During the period between the rise and fall of the British Empire, Bombay gradually developed into a town, a city and a metropolis of world renown.

 

Head Office of the Municipal Corporation (MCGM)

Head Office of the Municipal Corporation (MCGM)

 

Today, the Brihanmumbai Mahanagarpalika covers an area of 480.24 sq.kms. with a population of 1,19,14,378 as per the census of 2001. The metropolis accounts major portion of India’s international trade and government revenue, from being one of the foremost centres of education, science and technological research and advancement

It is also pertinent to note that Mumbai’s all-round growth owed a lot to the early development of the system of local government under British rule.

The Mumbai Metropolis has a historic tradition of strong civic activism dedicated to the cause of a better life for all its citizens. And it’s the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), that is the primary agency responsible for urban governance in Greater Mumbai.

From the time of its establishment in 1882 as India’s first Municipal Corporation, numerous non-political groups, NGO’s and organizations of citizens have worked closely with the civic body in the fields of education, public health, creation of urban amenities, art and culture, heritage conservation, etc.

 

The following table shows the evolution of the MCGM till the year 2007:

 

Year

Description
1807 Court of Petty Sessions – Two Magistrates and a Justice of Peace.

 
1845

 

 Board of Conservancy – Civic Heptarchy.
1858

 

 Board of three Commissioners.
1865

 

 Corporate Body with one Municipal Commissioner and Justices of Peace.
1872

 

 Regular Corporation formed with 64 Members, Rate (tax) Payers having right of voting (vide Bombay Act No.III of 1872).

 
1873

 

 First Meeting of the democratic civic body held on 4th September 1873.
1907

 

 The full responsibility of Primary Education was entrusted to the Corporation.
1922

 

 Instead of rate (tax) payers only, rent payers were also given right of voting (Vide Bombay Act No. IV).

 
1931 Designation of ‘President’ was changed to that of ‘Mayor’ (vide Bombay Act No. XXI).

 
1933 Improvements Trust was merged with the Corporation on 1st October 1933 (vide Bombay Act No. XIII of 1933).

 
1947

 

 B. E. S. & T. Co. Ltd. was municipalized on 7th August 1947.
1948

 

 Elections on adult franchise basis were held for the first time.
1950

 

 Suburbs were merged with the Corporation (vide Bombay Act No. VII of 1950).
1952 Hitherto there was some ex-officio membership (i.e. Police Commissioner, Chairman, B. P. T., Executive Engineer, Presidency Division, P. W. D. Govt. of Bombay etc). All such special representations were done away with and the Corporation became a fully elected body. (Vide Bombay Act No. XLVIII of 1950).

 
1957

 

 Extended Suburbs were merged with the Corporation (Vide Bombay Act No. LVIII of 1956).

 
1963

 

 140 Single member constituencies were introduced.
1968

 

 Elections were, accordingly, held for the first time (Vide Maharashtra Act No. XXXIII of 1966)

 
1972

 

 Marathi (the State Language) adopted as the official language of the Corporation (Vide C. R. No. 1959 of 30-3-1972).

 
1973

 

 Corporation’s Centenary Celebrations.
1976

 

 Provisions for reservation of seats for Councillors belonging to Scheduled Castes, (Vide Maharashtra Act No. XLII of 1976).

 
1982
  • Golden Jubilee of the Mayoral Institution was celebrated on 25th March 1982.
  • The number of seats of Councilors increased from 140 to 170 (Vide Maharashtra Act No. XXV of 1982).
1983
  • Golden Jubilee of the Improvements Committee was celebrated on 7th November 1983.
  • The Government of Maharashtra by its Notification, dated the 3rd March 1983, extended the period for retirement of the Councilors by a period of one year i.e. upto the noon of the first day of April 1984.
  • Appointment of one or more persons as Additional Municipal Commissioners (Vide Maharashtra Act No. XLIII of 1983).

 
1984 Appointment of Administrator (Vide Maharashtra Act No. VII of 1984) with effect from 1st April 1984.

 
1985
  • Appointment of Administrator continued (Vide Maharashtra Act No. III of 1985).
  • Elections for 170 seats held on 25th April 1985 and the new Corporation came into existence from 10th May 1985.

 
1987

 

 Mumbai Fire Brigade’s Centenary Celebrations.

 
1989
  • Number of seats on the Standing Committee, the Improvements Committee, the Education Committee, increased from 16 to 20 and that of the B. E. S. & T. Committee from 9 to 12 (Vide Maharashtra Act No. XXI of 1989).
  • Person completing the age of 18 years on the date notified by the State Government in that behalf made eligible to existence in the Municipal Election Rolls Vide Maharashtra Act No. XXVIII of 1989).

 
1990
  • A voter completing the age of 21 years on the last date specified for making nominations for any General Election or Bye-Election made eligible to contest the Ward Election (vide Maharashtra Act No. XII of 1990).
  • Reservation of thirty percent seats for women (Contd.) (including the number of seats reserved for women belonging to Scheduled Castes), out of the total number of seats (vide Maharashtra Act No. XIII of 1990).

 
1991
  • The number of single Member Constituencies was fixed to 221 (Vide Notification under No. BMC-1091/ CR-28/91/- UD-20, dated 28th February1991, published in Extra-ordinary Gazette).
  • Acworth Leprosy Hospital at Wadala was taken over by the Brihanmumbai Mahanagarpalika w.e.f. 1-4-1991 (Vide C. R. No. 881 of 27-11-1991) and named as “Acworth Municipal Hospital for Lepers”.

 
1992
  • Ninth General Election for 221 seats (including 30% seats reserved for women) held on 25th February 1992 and new Corporation came into existence from 7th March 1992.
  • Centenary Celebrations of Kasturba Hospital for Infectious Diseases, held on 12th March 1992.
  • Centenary celebrations of Tansa Dam held on 29th March 1992 at Tansa.
  • Number of seats on the Standing Committee, the Improvements Committee, the Education Committee, increased from 20 to 27, 20 to 26, 20 to 26 respectively and that of the B. E. S. & T. Committee from 12 to 17 (Vide Maharashtra Act No. XXI of 1992).

 
1993
  • Centenary Celebration of the Corporation Hall and Corporation Head Office Old Building, held on 16th January 1993 and 31st July 1993, respectively.
  • The strength of the Special Committees appointed (Contd.) by the Corporation under Section 38A of the B. M. C. Act, increased from 24 Councilors to 36 Councilors (Vide C. R. No. 1066 of 17-12-1993).

 
1994 In pursuance of the 74th Amendment to the Constitution of India, the following vital amendments to the B.M.C. Act made by Maharashtra Act No. XLI of 1994

  • Five Nominated Councilors.
  • Reservation of one-third seats for Women including Scheduled Castes/Tribes, etc.
  • Reservation of twenty-seven percent, out of total number of seats for the members belonging to the Backward Class of citizens.
  • Reservation of the Office of the Mayor of all Corporations in Maharashtra State, by rotation for the members belonging to the Scheduled Castes/Tribes, Backward Class of citizens and Women.
  • Supervision, direction and control for the conduct of Municipal election vest with the State Election Commissioner instead of Municipal Commissioner.
  • Constitution of Wards Committees.

 
1996
  • Celebration of Platinum Jubilee of B. Y. L. Nair Charitable Hospital and Topiwala National Medical College (from 4th September 1995 to 3rd September 1996).
  • In accordance with reservation of Office of Mayor (Contd.) for Backward Class of Citizens, the Mayor was appointed accordingly for the first time.
  • Restoration of name “Mumbai” for ‘Bombay’ (vide Maharashtra Act, No. XXV of 1996).

 
1997
  • Refixation of number and boundaries of the Municipal Election Wards.
  • Tenth General Election held on 23rd February 1997 under supervision, direction and control of State Election Commissioner. New Corporation came into existence on 10th March 1997.
  • 5 Nominated Councilors appointed on 10th March 1997 for the first time.

 
1998 Introduction of ‘Mayor-In-Council system’ in the Brihanmumbai Mahanagarpalika with effect from 19th April 1998, by amending the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act 1888 (Vide Maharashtra Act No. X of 1998 and No. XIII of 1998).

 
1999
  • Mayor-In-Council was done away with and revival of old set up of Municipal Corporation (vide Maharashtra Act XXVII of 1999). Accordingly, Mayoral election was held on 29th April 1999.
  • Introduction of the office of the Deputy Mayor and Leader of the opposition (vide Maharashtra Act No. XXVII of 1999).
  • Vesting of certain powers with the Mayor, (Vide Maharashtra Act No. XXVII of 1999.)

 
2000
  • Extending the tenure of Offices of the Mayor and Dy. Mayor up to 2 ½ years. Vide Maharashtra Ordinance No. VII of 2000)
  • Establishment of 16 Wards Committees. (Vide M.M.C. Act, 1888, amended up to date under Section 50 TT) w.e.f. 7th January 2000.

 
2002
  • The number of seats of councilors increased from 221 to 227 (vide Maharashtra Ordinance No. XXVIII of 2001).
  • Eleventh General Election held on 10th February 2002 under supervision, direction and control of State Election Commissioner. New Corporation came into existence on 10th March 2002.
  • Introduction of the office of Leader of the House (vide Maharashtra Act No. XI of 2002).
  • Year 2002-2003 was celebrated as Golden Jubilee Year of Raje Edward Memorial Hospital.

 
2007
  • Re fixation of number and boundaries of the Municipal Election Wards.
  • Twelfth General Election held on 1st February 2007 under supervision, direction and control of State Election Commissioner, new Corporation came into existence on 10th March 2007
  • Rules for the Conduct of Election to the office of Mayor and Deputy Mayor, voting by show of hands. (Vide Notification under No. BNM 5005/46/CR 7/Pt.IV/UD-32, dated the 15th February 2007).
  • Rules for the conduct of elections to the post of the Chairmen of the Statutory and Special Committees, voting by show of hands. (Vide Notification under No. BMC. 4007/59/CR 19/UD-32, dated the 21st February 2007).
  • Amendment to Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act in respect of Nominating the Councilors on the Committees, by taking into account the relative strength of the recognized or registered parties or groups in the Corporation after consulting the Leader of the House, the Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of each such party or group. (Vide Maharashtra Ordinance No. II, dated the 27th February 2007).
  • Modification to the Rules and procedure for appointment of Nominated Councilors, by taking into account the relative strength of recognized parties and groups. (Vide Notification No. BNM/5007/60/CR20/UD 32 of 21st February 2007 and No. BNM /5007/72/CR 22/UD 32 of 21st April 2007).

 

 

Source: This information was obtained from the website of the MCGM – http://www.mcgm.gov.in/

 

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