Mayor of Kolkata

Mayor of Kolkata is the elected head of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation, the civic administrative body governing the city of Kolkata. The position was established in 1924 following the enactment of the Calcutta Municipal Act, 1923, with Chittaranjan Das serving as the first mayor. The mayor presides over the Mayor-in-Council system and is responsible for the city's civic infrastructure, public health, and urban planning. The current mayor is Firhad Hakim of the All India Trinamool Congress, who has held the office since 2018.

History

The office originated from the Calcutta Municipal Act, 1923, which replaced the earlier Calcutta Corporation and introduced a mayoral system. The first mayoral election saw the victory of Chittaranjan Das, a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress and the Swaraj Party. The early mayors, including Subhas Chandra Bose and Bidhan Chandra Roy, were pivotal figures in the Indian independence movement and later in shaping West Bengal's political landscape. Post-independence, the role evolved under successive legislations like the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980, which formalized the Mayor-in-Council governance model. The political control of the office has shifted between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the All India Trinamool Congress in recent decades, reflecting the state's broader political dynamics.

Election and term

The mayor is elected indirectly by the elected corporators of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation from among themselves, following the general civic polls held every five years. The election process is governed by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act, 1980 and overseen by the State Election Commission, West Bengal. To contest, a candidate must be a registered voter within the corporation's area and a member of the corporation. The term of office is five years, co-terminus with the corporation's duration, with no constitutional limit on the number of terms. A mayor can be removed through a no-confidence motion passed by the corporation.

Powers and duties

The mayor serves as the executive head of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and chairs the Mayor-in-Council, a cabinet-like body comprising the Deputy Mayor and other appointed members. Key powers include presiding over corporation meetings, overseeing the implementation of the municipal budget, and sanctioning major civic projects related to water supply, roads, and sanitation. The mayor also represents the city at state and national forums, such as interactions with the Government of West Bengal and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Statutory duties involve ensuring compliance with acts like the West Bengal Municipal Act, 1993 and coordinating with agencies like the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority and the Kolkata Police.

List of mayors

A select list of notable mayors includes inaugural mayor Chittaranjan Das (1924), independence activist Subhas Chandra Bose (1930), and former Chief Minister Bidhan Chandra Roy (1933-34). Post-independence, long-serving mayors include Kamal Basu of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Bikash Bhattacharjee. In the modern era, Subrata Mukherjee of the All India Trinamool Congress served multiple terms, followed by Sovon Chatterjee. The current mayor, Firhad Hakim, assumed office in 2018 after the resignation of his predecessor. The Left Front and the All India Trinamool Congress have been the dominant political forces controlling the mayoral office since the 1970s.

See also

* Kolkata Municipal Corporation * Deputy Mayor of Kolkata * Politics of West Bengal * Municipal governance in India * List of mayors in India

Category:Mayors of Kolkata Category:Kolkata Municipal Corporation Category:Local government in West Bengal