Howrah Municipal Corporation

Howrah Municipal Corporation (abbreviated as HMC) is the local government of the city of Howrah, West Bengal, India. It is the second largest Municipal corporation and urban area in the state. This civic administrative body administers an area of 63.55 square kilometres (24.54 sq mi) now.[1][2][3]

Howrah Municipal Corporation
Logo of the Howrah Municipal Corporation
Seal of the Howrah Municipal Corporation
Type
Type
History
Founded1980 (1980)
Leadership
Mayor
Vacant
Deputy Mayor
Vacant
Chairperson
Dr.Sujoy Chakravarty
Structure
Seats66
Political groups
  • Government (58)
  AITC: 58
  • Opposition (8)
  INC: 4
  BJP: 2
  CPI(M): 2
Elections
Last election
2013
Next election
2023
Meeting place
Headquarters of the Howrah Municipal Corporation
Website
www.myhmc.in

History

Foundation
HMC old gate

The introduction of the East India Railway in 1854 caused an influx of people in Howrah city. As a result, public nuisance and threat of epidemics arose. So, the Howrah Offence Act was founded in 1857 to ensure prevention of local nuisances. The district magistrate was empowered to prosecute the law breaker with a fine of Rs 200 or rigorous imprisonment of one month. But nothing changed much. Ultimately, the Governor General vouched Section No. 12 of the Act of 1858, by which the Howrah Municipality was formed with the legislative council's due approval. However, the municipal committee was dissolved after a few years.[4] In 1862, Howrah Municipality was reorganised.[5]

On 2 May 1864, by the Municipal District Improvement Act III (1864), the Howrah Municipality Board was formed and from 2 August 1864 it started execution vide Gazette Notification.[4] As per the Howrah Municipal Corporation Act of 1980, Howrah became a municipal corporation.[6]

Bally Municipality

Bally Municipality was formed, separating it out from Howrah on 31 March 1883.[7] In July 2015, Howrah Municipal Corporation and Bally Municipality were merged. 35 wards of the Bally Municipality were decreased to 16 under the Howrah Municipal Corporation.[8][9]

In November 2021, West Bengal Legislative Assembly passed a bill to separate Bally Municipality from Howrah Municipal Corporation.[10]

Board of members
HMC building in June 2022

History

The first board comprised Mr E. C. Craster as the District Magistrate and chairman and Mr N. Macnicol as vice-chairman. The first board also comprised D. R. Bird as managing director, C. H. Denham as chief engineer, R. W. King, W Stalkartt, R. N. Barges, D W Campbell, Babu Gopal Lal Chowdhury, Babu Rajmohan Basu and Babu Kshetra Mohan Mitra as other members. The first board meeting was held on 6 May 1864. The first municipal election in Howrah took place on 1 December 1884 declaring the following commissioners from their respective wards.[4]

Kedarnath Bhattacharya was the first Indian elected vice-chairman and chairman. In 1886, when Mr. E C Craster stepped down, Babu Upendra Chandra was elected as chairman and Baboo Kedarnath Bhattacharya was selected as vice-chairman. But due to some discrepancy in his election, Upendra Chandra's chairmanship was cancelled and Kedarnath Bhattacharya had to officiate in his position for a few years. After some years, nearly from 1890 the district magistrate was appointed as chairman up to 1916 when Babu Mahendranath Roy won the election with a huge majority.[4]

Administration

The corporation area is divided into sixty six wards.[1][11] Each ward elects a councillor and each borrow elects a chairman.[12] The Mayor-in-council, which is led by Mayor and supported by Commissioner and officers, is responsible for administration of the corporation area.[12]

Services

The HMC is responsible for administering and providing basic infrastructure to the city.

Elections

2013 election

Elections to the 50 wards of Howrah Municipal Corporation were held on 22 November 2013. Trinamool Congress got the majority by winning 42 wards.[13][14]

In October 2015, elections to 16 wards of newly merged Bally Municipality were held, with Trinamool Congress winning all 16 wards.[15]

References
  1. "Howrah Corporation".
  2. "HMC" (PDF).
  3. "Bally Municipality". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015.
  4. "The dirtiest since 1889". m.telegraphindia.com.
  5. "About HMC". hmcgov.in.
  6. "Other Municipal Corporation Acts". Official website of Department of Municipal Affairs, Government of West Bengal. Archived from the original on 10 August 2009. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
  7. O'Malley & Chakravarti 1909, p. 31
  8. "All that you need to know about the Howrah added area (Bally) civic polls". NEWSMEN. 1 October 2015. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  9. Basu, Pritesh (4 January 2016). "HMC sets up 'Mayor's Cop' to monitor civic amenities". Millennium Post.
  10. "Bengal's Howrah Municipal Corporation Bifurcated Month Before Civic Polls". NDTV.com. 17 November 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  11. "HMC".
  12. "About us page". Howrah Municipal Corporation. Archived from the original on 8 December 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2008.
  13. "TMC wins howrah civic polls". The Statesman. 25 November 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  14. "Municipal General Election 2013 Detailed Result - West Bengal State Election Commission". www.wbsec.gov.in. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  15. "Trinamool wins 127 of 163 seats in municipal polls". The Hindu. 10 October 2015. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 8 June 2022.

Sources
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