Bill tabled in Assam House to increase administrators' tenure in municipalities

A Bill was introduced in the assembly on Monday to amend the Assam Municipal Act, 1956 to increase the tenure of administrators in municipalities in the state.

Urban Development Minister Ashok Singhal said that the Bill proposes to allow deputy commissioners or sub-divisional officers (civil) or by officers nominated by them to take over charge of municipal boards for a period not exceeding 24 months instead of the current provisions of 12 months.

Municipal boards in general areas of the state completed the full term of five years in March, 2020 and election to these bodies could not be held on time due to the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide lockdown, Singhal said while tabling the Assam Municipal (Amendment) Bill, 2021.

The existing provision under the Assam Municipal (Amendment) Act, 2020 provides for running of the municipal boards by government officers for a maximum period of 12 months.

This provision came into force on April one, 2020 and thus its tenure has expired on March 31, 2021.

The government had promulgated the Assam Municipal (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021 for extending the tenure of the administrators by another six months till September 30, 2021.

The Bill, when passed, will allow the administrators to continue their rule in the municipalities.

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