Home The Constitution Part IXA Article 243R

Art. 243R Part IXA: The Municipalities

Composition of Municipalities

Exact text — Constitution of India

(1) Save as provided in clause (2), all the seats in a Municipality shall be filled by persons chosen by direct election from the territorial constituencies in the Municipal area and, for this purpose, each Municipal area shall be divided into territorial constituencies to be known as wards. (2) The Legislature of a State may, by law, provide—(a) for the representation in a Municipality of—(i) persons having special knowledge or experience in Municipal administration...; (ii) the members of the House of the People and the members of the Legislative Assembly of the State representing constituencies that comprise wholly or partly the Municipal area...; (iii) the members of the Council of States and the members of the Legislative Council of the State registered as electors within the Municipal area; (iv) the Chairpersons of the Committees constituted under clause (5) of article 243S...

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

Like Panchayats, Municipal seats are primarily filled through direct election from territorial wards — but this Article gives states more flexibility than the Panchayat framework, allowing (optionally) representation for specially-knowledgeable individuals and for MPs/MLAs whose constituencies overlap the municipal area, alongside the directly elected members.

Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This is why a Municipal Corporation meeting might include not just elected corporators from your ward, but also (in some states) local MPs/MLAs and specially-appointed members with municipal administration expertise, depending on how that state has exercised this optional flexibility.

Read alongside this one

Art. 243q — Constitution of Municipalities

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 243R

Are all Municipality members directly elected by residents?

The majority must be, but this Article optionally allows states to add certain other categories of members (like overlapping MPs/MLAs or subject-matter experts) alongside the directly elected majority.

← PreviousArticle 243Q: Constitution of Municipalities Next →Article 243S: Constitution and Composition of Wards Committees, etc.

The text above reproduces Article 243R of the Constitution of India as amended to date, for general educational reference. It is public-domain legislative text, but we recommend cross-checking the authoritative version at legislative.gov.in or india.gov.in before relying on it for a legal matter. The explanation, examples and FAQs are general information, not legal advice — consult a qualified advocate for guidance on your specific situation.