(a) A Municipal Corporation comprises the following.
1. General Council formed of elected members known as Municipal Councillors.
2. The Mayor: It is elected by councilors and the Aldermen.
3. The Standing Committee: includes members of general council through elections.
4. The Municipal Commissioner: It is appointed by the Governor usually for 5 years.
(b) The main functions of the Mayor of a Corporation are as follows:
1. To preside over the meetings of the Corporation and to regulate the conduct of business in such meetings.
2. To maintain decorum and discipline in the meetings.
3. To act as the channel of communication between the Corporation and the State or the Union Government, as the case may be.
4. To receive the foreign dignitaries visiting the city.The Mayor has access to all papers and records of the Corporation. Despite these powers, the Mayor is merely a figurehead if he is not elected directly by the people. Only a directly elected Mayor would have real power.
(c) The municipal Corporation deals with two types of functions, e.g.
1. Compulsory Functions: Provision of electricity, water sewage disposal etc, Public health, transport, education, births and deaths records, managing the disasters e.g. floods, earthquakes etc.
2. Optional Functions: Public housing, Public parks, museums, libraries, children homes, orphanages, old age homes, rest houses, fairs and beautification of the city.
