Part VIII, Ext. No. 4, L. A. BILL No. I OF 2026 A BILL further to amend the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965 Tuesday, 24th February 2026.

महाराष्ट्रा श्रा रा अ ाधारण्भाग्आठ, फेब्रारा्ी २्ी ी०२फाफग्श्ु२्र,े्के १ 1 RNI No. MAHENG /2009/35528 महाराष्ट्रा श्रा रा अ ाधारण्भाग्आठ रर््ष्की२्अं,् ] मंगळरार२्फेब्रारा्ी २्ी ी०२फाफग्श्ु२्र,े्के १ [रृषठठे्३््क,ंमत्:्रुरये्ी१. अ ाधारण्क्रमां,् प्ाकध,ृत्प्,ारश महाराष््करधाशमंडळाचे्अकधकशयम्र्राज्यरालांशा्प्ख्याकरत्,ेलेले्अध्यादेर्र्,ेलेले.् करकशयम्आकण्करकध्र्न्याय्करभागा,डूश्आलेला्करधेय,े्(इंग्र ा्अश्राद). In pursuance of clause (3) of article 348 of the Constitution of India, the following translation in English of the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships (Amendment) Bill, 2026 ( L. A. Bill No. I of 2026), introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on the 24th February 2026, is hereby published under the authority of the Governor. By order and in the name of the Governor of Maharashtra, SATISH WAGHOLE, Secretary (Legislation) to Government, Law and Judiciary Department. 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 आठ-४–१2 महाराष्ट्रा श्रा रा अ ाधारण्भाग्आठ, 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 ाधारण्भाग्आठ, 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). 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.