The head of a Municipal Corporation is known as the:

The Mayor is the head of a Municipal Corporation. He presides over the meetings of the corporation and is regarded as the first citizen of the city.

How the Mayor is chosen:

• In most states, the Mayor is elected indirectly by the elected councillors (corporators) from among themselves.
• In some states, such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand and Haryana, the Mayor is directly elected by the people.

Term:

• In many cities, the Mayor's term is one year, renewable, while in states with direct elections it is five years.
• Short terms are often criticised as making the office weak.

Role of the Mayor:

• Presiding over meetings of the corporation.
• Representing the city on ceremonial occasions.
• Guiding the elected wing of the corporation.
• In most cities, the Mayor's executive powers are limited.

Municipal Commissioner:

• The Municipal Commissioner, usually an IAS officer appointed by the state government, is the chief executive officer and exercises most executive powers.
• This is called the "commissioner system".

Reform proposals:

Experts have recommended a directly elected Mayor with a five-year term and real executive powers, to make city government more effective and accountable.

Composition of a Municipal Corporation:

• Councillors elected from wards.
• Nominated members with experience in municipal administration, who do not have voting rights.
• Ex officio members, such as local MPs and MLAs, in some states.

Reservation:

Under Article 243T, seats and the offices of chairpersons in municipalities, including Mayors, are reserved for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women, as provided by state law.

Oldest municipal corporation:

The Madras Municipal Corporation, set up in 1688, is the oldest municipal body in India.

Urban local bodies:

Municipal Corporations are for larger urban areas, Municipal Councils for smaller urban areas, and Nagar Panchayats for areas in transition from rural to urban.

Why not the other options?

• ✗The Sarpanch heads a Gram Panchayat.
• ✗The Chairman of the Zilla Parishad heads the district-level panchayat.
• ✗The District Collector heads the district administration.