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No proposal to increase Mayor’s term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre

Chandigarh Member of Parliament (MP) Manish Tewari asked whether the central government is considering any proposal to increase the tenure of the Mayor of the Union Territory’s (UT’s) Municipal Corporation (MC) from the present one year to a fixed five-year term.

3 min readDec 10, 2025 09:10 AM IST

Manish Tewari also sought details as to whether such a Mayor elected for five years would be elected through direct elections by all electors of Chandigarh, similar to the model adopted in the adjoining state of Haryana. (file)

There is no such proposal with us to increase the Mayor’s term in Chandigarh by five years, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs told the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Chandigarh Member of Parliament (MP) Manish Tewari asked whether the central government is considering any proposal to increase the tenure of the Mayor of the Union Territory’s (UT’s) Municipal Corporation (MC) from the present one year to a fixed five-year term.

Tewari also sought details as to whether such a Mayor elected for five years would be elected through direct elections by all electors of Chandigarh, similar to the model adopted in the adjoining state of Haryana. He also asked whether the government proposes to rebalance or reallocate functions and departments between the Chandigarh Administration and the MC, in view of the civic body’s persistent financial constraints and its limited ability to discharge statutory functions.

The MP also sought the reasons why the 30 per cent revenue-sharing formula — recommended by various finance commissions for revenue sharing between the Union/ state governments and panchayati raj institutions — does not apply to the Chandigarh MC, particularly with respect to funds appropriated to Chandigarh from the Union Budget?

Responding to the queries, Nityanand Rai, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs, mentioned that at present, no such proposal is under consideration as far as Mayor’s term and other issues concerned are talked about.

On the 30 per cent revenue-sharing aspect, Rai replied that the Finance Commission recommends the distribution of revenue between the Union and the states.

“Since Chandigarh is a UT, these recommendations are not applicable to it. The budgetary requirements of the MC of Chandigarh are met through Grants-in-Aid from the Union Budget,” the reply said.

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Following the reply, the Chandigarh MP said it is “tad perplexing if not confusing” and that he is not sure to to “laugh or cry” on the central government’s responses.

“… On one hand officials of the Chandigarh Administration are in Delhi to discuss all the pending issues of Chandigarh including increasing the term of the Mayor to five years and on the other, the MHA… says there is no proposal to increase the term of the Mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor and Deputy Mayor to five years through a direct election,” Tewari added.

Hina Rohtaki

Hina Rohtaki is a Special Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. She is one of the most prominent journalists covering the Chandigarh Administration, civic issues, and the unique political status of the Union Territory. Professional Background Experience: She has been in the field for over a decade and is known for her investigative reporting on administrative waste and urban governance. Awards: She is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award, which was presented to her by the President of India in January 2020. She was also awarded the Jethmalani prize (The Will of Steel Awards) in 2025 in the Empowerment category for a series of articles that highlighted the struggles of Covid widows. Core Beat: Her primary focus is the Chandigarh administrative structure, the Union Territory's financial management, and urban development projects. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent work highlights a focus on government accountability, administrative expenditures, and civic trends: 1. Investigative & Financial Reporting "Fuelling power: Senior UT IAS officers guzzled petrol worth Rs 30 lakh in 2 yrs" (Dec 14, 2025): An investigative report detailing the high fuel bills of top bureaucrats, including the Finance Secretary and Chief Secretary’s staff. "Admn spends Rs 1.5 crore on dismantling road railings and fixing again after increasing height" (Dec 8, 2025): Highlighting administrative waste on "non-viable" solutions for pedestrian control. "Chandigarh’s finances under ministry’s watch now" (Nov 27, 2025): Reporting on the new requirement for MHA approval for all new projects in the UT. 2. Governance & Constitutional Status "What will it mean for Chandigarh if it is brought under Article 240?" (Nov 24, 2025): An "Explained" piece on the potential constitutional shift that would grant the President more power over the UT's governance. "MP Manish Tewari moves Bill seeking directly elected Mayor with 5-year tenure" (Dec 6, 2025): Covering the legislative push to reform Chandigarh's municipal leadership structure. "No proposal to increase Mayor's term in Chandigarh by 5 years: Centre" (Dec 10, 2025): Reporting on the Union government's response to demands for a longer mayoral term. 3. Urban Infrastructure & Environment "Chandigarh admn cuts power to India's tallest air purifier, asks firm to dismantle it" (Nov 17, 2025): A critical report on the failure of a high-cost environmental project deemed "of no use" by experts. "UT rethinks 24/7 water supply project as costs soar" (Nov 26, 2025): Detailing the financial challenges and delays in modernizing the city's water network. "Centre 'obfuscating, covering up' MC's shifting deadlines for clearing Dadu Majra dump" (Dec 12, 2025): Reporting on the ongoing controversy surrounding the city's major waste dump. 4. Lifestyle & Local Trends "Chandigarh turns into a Thar city as women fuel the surge" (Dec 2, 2025): A feature on a unique automotive trend in the city, with a record 600 registrations by women drivers this year. "After fivefold spike in 2023, EV sales struggle to pick pace in Chandigarh" (Dec 2, 2025): Analyzing the slowdown in electric vehicle adoption despite previous surges. Signature Beat Hina is known for her meticulous tracking of RTI (Right to Information) data to expose administrative inefficiency. Her "Ground Zero" reporting on the Dadu Majra garbage dump and her scrutiny of the Chandigarh Smart City projects have made her a key figure in the city’s civil society discourse. X (Twitter): @HinaRohtaki ... Read More

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