Andhra Pradesh Assembly passes Bill to restore direct election of Mayors, Chairpersons of ULBs
The Andhra Pradesh Assembly has passed a bill to restore the direct election of Mayors and municipal chairpersons. This change aims to increase democratic legitimacy and allow for longer-term urban planning.
Why it matters
Direct elections for local government heads can significantly alter the power dynamics and accountability structures in urban governance.
The Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly has restored the direct election of Mayors of Municipal Corporations, Chairpersons of Municipalities and Nagar Panchayats by passing the Andhra Pradesh Municipal Laws (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2026 on Wednesday.
The amendments have been made to Section 90 of the Municipal Corporations Act of 1955 and Section 23 of the Municipalities Act, 1965.
Mayors and Chairpersons will now be directly elected by the people of the Urban Local Bodies for a five-year term. Hitherto, they were elected by members of the divisions and wards including the ex-officio members.
The Bill has also rationalised the Offices of Deputies to one Deputy Mayor and one Vice-Chairperson but left their model of election unchanged.
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