Presiding officers will be elected by councillors, not by polls

JAIPUR: Elections of presiding officers in Urban Local Bodies of Rajasthan will be done by councillors instead of direct election by voters.

Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has given her approval to do away with the direct election to such posts, which was started by the former Congress government.

"The proposal has been approved by the CM under which Mayor in Municipal Corporations, Chairperson in Municipal Councils and President in Municipal Boards will be elected by the councillors instead of their direct election," Ashok Singh Director (Legal), the Local Self government department said here today.

He informed that the CM gave nod to the proposal on June 2 and a notification of amendment in rules will be issued within next few days.

First direct election of Mayor, Chairperson and President by voters was held in 2009 after former Ashok Gehlot government brought the Rajasthan Municipalities Act, 2009 replacing years old previous act.

Former CM Gehlot had brought the new Act with an aim of more autonomy and reforms in the bodies but it has also created dramatic situation between Municipal Board and the presiding officer which affected the smooth functioning.

In Jaipur Municipal Corporation, BJP Councillors who won in majority formed the Board in 2009 but Mayor Jyoti Khandelwal, elected by public, is of Congress party.

There have been conflicts on several occasions between the Board and the Mayor during the past five years.

54 other local bodies have also seen such conflicts which affected developmental works.

Rajasthan has 184 Urban Local Bodies ( ULB) including six municipal corporations in Jaipur, Ajmer, Kota, Bikaner,Jodhpur and Udaipur.