Bhopal, Dec 2 (LatestNewsX) – The Madhya Pradesh Municipal Laws (Amendment) Act‑2025, which introduces direct elections for the Chairperson posts of Nagar Palika and Nagar Parishad, was approved by the state Assembly after a robust debate on Tuesday.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, who also serves as the Urban Affairs and Housing Minister, highlighted that the new law, a revision of what the former Congress chief minister Digvijaya Singh’s government had passed, now carries a fresh mandate. “This law, which was enacted by Digvijaya Singh’s government to fulfill the vision of former late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, has been amended now,” Vijayvargiya remarked. He then asked, “Will Rahul Gandhi’s gang oppose the Bill?”
Umang Singhar, the Leader of Opposition in the assembly, replied that the Congress is not opposing the amendment; “only some improvement have been suggested.”
BJP MLA and Minister of State for Urban Administration Pratima Bagri welcomed the bipartisan support, noting that the bill was adopted unanimously and that it would bring greater transparency to municipal elections.
In contrast, senior Congress MLA Phool Singh Baraiya cautioned that the act would not curb the entrenched practice of horse trading among councillors. “This Act is not going to bring any change in open horse trading of corporators,” he said.
Last week, the Madhya Pradesh cabinet, headed by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, sanctioned a proposal to introduce the Municipal Laws (Amendment) Bill in the assembly, shifting the election of Nagar Palika and Nagar Parishad chairpersons back to direct votes by the public. From 1999 to 2014, these positions had been elected directly, but in 2022 the process had become indirect, decided by ward councillors. The mayoral election, however, remains a direct vote by the electorate.
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