Introduction
Under the Provisions of Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporations Act, 1949, Section - 4, the powers have been vested in three Distinct Statutory Authorities :
• General Board
• Standing Committee
• Municipal Commissioner
GENERAL BOARD : The General Board is the supreme body of the Corporation constituted by elected members from each wards. Four members are elected from each ward hence the 19 wards makes a total of 76 councilors. 50 % of seats are reserved for female. Its term is for a five year duration after which elections are held.
STANDING COMMITTEE : The Standing Committee is a statutory committee and most powerful committees. It has financial powers.
OTHER COMMITTEES : There are other nine committees which look after specialized functions of VMC. It has the powers to sanction and award major works cost of Rs. 10 to 15 lacks.
The Constitution of Corporation/General Board
• The General Board is the Supreme Body of the Municipal Corporation constituted by elected members from each wards. The General Board has wide powers over all other authorities of the Corporation like Standing Committee & Municipal Commissioner. At present, there are 19 administrative wards and 19 election wards of this Vadodara Municipal Corporation, each election ward consists 4 seats of councilor out of them 50 % of seats are reserved for female. Each councilor is elected for a term of five years. Total No of Councilors for this term is 76. All the Councilors are elected by General Election and every Councilor deserves to be appointed in various Committees.
• The First meeting of Corporation after general election shall be held as early as possible and convenient date, time and place to be fixed by the Municipal Commissioner. Thereafter each meeting fix by the Mayor.
• The Corporation shall at its first meeting elect one of its member to be from amongst the councilors the Mayor (the term of Mayor is two & half year) and the Dy. Mayor (the term of Dy. Mayor is two & half year) and appoint 12 Standing Committee members (the term of Standing Committee is two & half year). All the councilors are member of General Board.
• Every Committee may appoint two of its members to be its Chairman and Vice Chairman. The term of every member of each committee may be for a two & half year from the date of such election. All members shall be eligible for reappointment.
• There shall be in each month at least one General Board meeting of the Corporation. Notice of each General Board meeting shall specify the date, time and place at which such meeting is to be held.
• All the Councilors are member of General Board and have power to vote and give opinion for the business on the General Board's Agenda.
• The Commissioner shall remain present at a meeting of the Corporation and take part in the discussions with the permission of the presiding authority, may at any time make a statement or explanation of facts, but he/she shall not be at liberty to vote upon, or to make, any proposition at such meeting.
The Constitution of Standing Committee
• The Standing Committee consists of 12 Councilors.
• The Standing Committee is statutory committee having wide powers to empower the Municipal Commissioner to enter into the contracts of the works.
• There shall be a meeting of standing committee once in week under the mandatory provision of the BPMC Act 1949.
• The Standing Committee has also powers to form sub Committee under its control for any specific business.
Special Committees
• There are 9 special committees of Municipal Corporation.
• All special committee consists of 10 councilors except one (Legal Committee) which consist 5 councilors.
• The meeting of the Corporation, standing Committee, special committees, sub committees and adhoc committee shall be held and the business before them shall be disposed of in the manner prescribed under rules and regulation framed by the General Board.