• The Kerala Municipality (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020 was promulgated on May 2, 2020.  It amends the Kerala Municipality Act, 1994.  The Act constitutes urban local bodies (ULBs), such as, Town Panchayats, Municipal Councils, and Municipal Corporations in Kerala.  The Ordinance amends the limits on the number of seats to be filled in ULBs by direct elections.
     
  • Number of Councillors:  The Act provides for the state government to notify the total number of seats for Councillors in ULBs to be filled by direct elections, subject to certain limits.  The  Ordinance reduces the limits prescribed under the Act, as specified in Table 1.

Table 1: Limit on maximum number of seats for directly elected Councillors in ULBs

Population

1994 Act

2020 Ordinance

Town Panchayat or Municipal Council

Within 20,000

26

25

Above 20,000

26 for the first 20,000 and increase one seat for every 2,500 increase in population; up to a maximum of 53

25, for the first 20,000 and increase one seat for every 2,500 increase in population; up to a maximum of 52

Municipal Corporation

Within four lakh

56

55

Above four lakh

56 for the first four lakh and increase one seat for every 10,000 increase in population; up to a maximum of 101

55, for the first four lakh and increase one seat for every 10,000 increase in population; up to a maximum of 100


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