Date: 2026-02-24Category: Not ApplicableState: MaharashtraCountry: India
Part V, Ext. No. 1, L. A. BILL No. I OF 2026.
A Bill further the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965. Tuesday, 24th February 2026.
**Executive Summary**
This document is the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships (Amendment) Act, 2026, introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on February 24, 2026. It amends the 1965 Act to allow a person elected as both President and Councillor to hold both positions simultaneously, clarifies voting rights in such cases, and replaces the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, which was promulgated on December 26, 2025. The Act comes into force on December 26, 2025.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Amendment of 1965 Act:**
* Introduces provisions regarding individuals elected as both President and Councillor.
* Permits individuals elected as both President and Councillor to simultaneously hold both positions.
* Clarifies that a person holding both positions has only one vote but the President has a casting vote in case of equality.
* **Repeal and Saving:**
* The Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, is repealed.
* Actions taken under the repealed Ordinance are deemed valid under the corresponding provisions of the principal Act, as amended by this Act.
* **Purpose of the Amendment:**
* To clarify that a directly elected President can continue as a Councillor.
* To ensure that individuals holding both positions have a single vote, with the President having a casting vote in case of a tie.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Elected Officials (Presidents and Councillors)**
* **Impact:** Those elected as both President and Councillor can now simultaneously hold both positions.
* **Action Required:** Understand the implications of holding both positions, including voting rights.
**Stakeholder: Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships**
* **Impact:** The Act amends the governance structure by clarifying the roles and voting rights of individuals holding dual positions.
* **Action Required:** Update internal procedures and regulations to align with the amended Act.
**Stakeholder: Government of Maharashtra**
* **Impact:** Ensures the continuity of governance and clarifies the voting rights of those holding dual positions.
* **Action Required:** Oversee the implementation of the amended Act and provide guidance to local bodies.
Key Entities Referenced
Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965: Principal Act being amended.
Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships (Amendment) Act, 2026: Bill to amend the 1965 Act.
Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2025: Ordinance being replaced by the Act.
Maharashtra Legislature: State legislature responsible for enacting the Act.
महाराष्ट्रा श्रा रा अ ाधारण्भाग्राच-अ, फेब्रारा्ी २्ी ी०२फाफग्श्ु२्र,े्के १ 1
RNI No. MAHBIL /2009/35530
महाराष्ट्रा श्रा रा
अ ाधारण्भाग्राच-अ
रर््ष्की२्अं,्क] मंगळरार२्फेब्रारा्ी २्ी ी०२फाफग्श्ु२्र,े्के १ [ रृष्ठ्ठे3२््क,ंमत्:्रुरये्३०.
अ ाधारण्क्रमां,्क
प्ाकध,ृत्प्,ारश
महाराष््करधाश भेत्र्महाराष््करधाशरररर्देत् ादर्,ेलेला्करधेय,े(इंग्र ा्अश्राद).
MAHARASHTRA LEGISLATURE SECRETARIAT
The following Bill was introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on the
24th February, 2026 is published under Rule 117 of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Rules :—
L. A. BILL No. I OF 2026.
A BILL
further to amend the Maharashtra Municipal Councils,
Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965.
WHEREAS both Houses of the State Legislature were not in session;
AND WHEREAS the Governor of Maharashtra was satisfied that
circumstances existed which rendered it necessary for him to take immediate
Mah. action further to amend the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar
XL of Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965, for the purposes hereinafter
1965.
appearing ; and, therefore, promulgated the Maharashtra Municipal Councils,
Mah. Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships (Third Amendment) Ordinance,
Ord.
2025 on the 26th December 2025 ;
XIII of
2025.
(१)
भाग पाच-अ–१-१2 महाराष्ट्रा श्रा रा अ ाधारण्भाग्राच-अ, फेब्रारा्ी २्ी ी०२फाफग्श्ु२्र,े्के १
AND WHEREAS it is expedient to replace the said Ordinance by an Act
of the State Legislature ; it is hereby enacted in the Seventy-seventh Year of
the Republic of India as follows :—
Short title and 1. (1) This Act may be called the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar
commencement. Panchayats and Industrial Townships (Amendment) Act, 2026.
(2) It shall be deemed to have come into force on the 26th December 2025.
Amendment of 2. In section 51A-1A of the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar
Mah. XL
section 51A-1A of Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965 (hereinafter referred to as “the
of 1965.
Mah. XL of 1965.
principal Act”), after sub-section (3), the following sub-section shall be inserted,
namely:-
“(3A) (i) If any person is elected as a President and as a Councillor, then
he may simultaneously, hold both the posts.
(ii) A person holding the post of the President and the Councillor
simultaneously, shall have only one vote either as a President or as a
Councillor :
Provided that, in case of equality of votes, the President shall have casting
vote.”.
Amendment of 3. In section 341B-1A of the principal Act, after sub-section (3), the
section 341B-1A following sub-section shall be inserted, namely :—
of Mah. XL of
1965.
“(3A) (i) If any person is elected as a President and as a Councillor,
then he may simultaneously, hold both the posts.
(ii) A person holding the post of the President and the Councillor
simultaneously, shall have only one vote either as a President or as a
Councillor :
Provided that, in case of equality of votes, the President shall have casting
vote.”.
Repeal of Mah. 4. (1) The Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Mah.
Ord. XIII of 2025 Industrial Townships (Third Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, is hereby repealed. Ord. XIII
and saving.
of 2025.
(2) Notwithstanding such repeal, anything done or any action taken
(including any notification or order issued) under the corresponding provisions
of the principal Act, as amended by the said Ordinance, shall be deemed to
have been done, taken or, as the case may be, issued under the corresponding
provisions of the principal Act, as amended by this Act.महाराष्ट्रा श्रा रा अ ाधारण्भाग्राच-अ, फेब्रारा्ी २्ी ी०२फाफग्श्ु२्र,े्के १ 3
STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
Sections 51A-1A and 341B-1A of the Maharashtra Municipal Councils,
Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965 (Mah. XL of 1965)
provides for direct election of the Presidents of the Municipal Councils and
Nagar Panchayats, respectively.
2. A person qualified to be elected as a Councillor to the Municipal
Councils and Nagar Panchayats is also qualified to be elected as a President
thereof. Therefore, a person may contest elections as a President and also as a
Councillor simultaneously and may also get elected on both the posts. Such
person elected on both the posts has electoral mandate of people for both the
posts. A person elected indirectly as a President also continues to be a
Councillor and functions simultaneously as a President and a Councillor.
Therefore, the Government considered it expedient that a President
elected directly should be able to continue as a Councillor also. It was, therefore,
proposed to amend sections 51A-1A and 341B-1A of the said Act to provide
specifically that person elected as a President directly and as a Councillor,
may simultaneously, hold both the posts. It was also proposed to provide that
such person shall have only one vote either as a President or as a Councillor
and in case of equality of vote, the President shall have a casting vote.
3. As both Houses of the State Legislature were not in session and the
Governor of Maharashtra was satisfied that circumstances existed which
rendered it necessary for him to take immediate action further to amend the
Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships
Act, 1965, for the purposes aforesaid, the Maharashtra Municipal Councils,
Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships (Third Amendment) Ordinance,
2025 (Mah. Ord. XIII of 2025), was promulgated by the Governor of Maharashtra
on the 26th December 2025.
4. The Bill is intended to replace the said Ordinance by an Act of the
State Legislature.
Mumbai, EKNATH SHINDE,
Dated the 10th February, 2026. Deputy Chief Minister
(Urban Development).
Vidhan Bhavan : JITENDRA BHOLE,
Mumbai Secretary-I,
Dated the 24th February, 2026. Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATION, PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY DIRECTOR,
RUPENDRA DINESH MORE, PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT CENTRAL PRESS, 21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD,
MUMBAI 400 004 AND PUBLISHED AT DIRECTORATE OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATIONS,
21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD, MUMBAI 400 004. EDITOR : DIRECTOR, RUPENDRA DINESH MORE.