Ward councillor (parshad) — role, powers, eligibility and pay

• Rajasthan has 309 urban bodies in 2026 — 10 municipal corporations, 47 councils and 252 boards (State Election Commission, 19 Aug 2026).
• All seats are filled by direct election from wards; at least 13 per body (Section 6(1)). Half of all seats are reserved for women (Section 6(7)).
• The State Government also nominates members — 6 in a board, 8 in a council, 12 in a corporation — but they cannot vote in meetings.
• The local MLA sits in every body, and the Lok Sabha MP in councils and corporations, with voting rights.

Under Section 45, every municipality must make reasonable provision for:

• Sanitation and solid waste, drainage and sewerage
• Streets, markets, public toilets, street lighting
• Fire services and removal of encroachments
• Registration of births and deaths
• Parks and planning of new areas

A councillor's rights (Section 52): draw attention to neglected work or waste of municipal property, put questions to the chairperson and move resolutions, and inspect municipal records free of charge after giving notice.

• The board must meet at least once every 60 days and at least 6 times a year (Section 51).
• One-third of members can demand a special meeting; the chairperson must call it within 7 days.
• Committees (Section 55): an executive committee plus finance, health & sanitation, building permission & works, slum improvement, rules & bye-laws and others, up to 10 members each.
• Bodies with a population of 3 lakh or more set up ward committees (Section 54).

• In 2026 the mayor (corporation), chairperson (council) and chairman (board) are chosen by the elected councillors (Election Rule 78).
• The candidate need not be a councillor — anyone qualified to be one can contest; but MPs, MLAs and PRI members cannot. Only elected councillors vote.
• The deputy mayor / vice-chairperson must be one of the elected councillors (Rule 79).
• No-confidence motion: not within 2 years of taking office, and if it fails, the next only after 2 years (Section 53).

• At least 21 years old (Section 21(e)).
• An elector of any ward of that municipality — not necessarily the ward contested. A reserved seat needs the matching category (SC/ST/OBC) or a woman.
• A functional sanitary toilet at home and no family member defecating in the open (Section 21(g), since 2015).
• No education requirement: the class-10 condition added in 2015 was removed by the Rajasthan Municipalities (Amendment) Act 2019.
• More than two children: the Rajasthan Municipalities (Amendment) Act 2026 (Act No. 7 of 2026, gazette 25 Mar 2026) deleted clause (xvii) of Section 24 — no longer a disqualification.

Main disqualifications (Section 24): a salaried or part-time post under the Central/State Government, a local authority or any authority; a job with a State-controlled university, corporation or co-operative; a sentence of 6 months or more; charges framed for an offence punishable with 5 years or more; an interest in municipal contracts; municipal dues unpaid for over 2 years with recovery started. A councillor cannot simultaneously be an MP, MLA or panchayat member (Section 42).

Spending limit (2026): corporation councillor ₹3,50,000, council councillor ₹2,50,000, board member ₹1,50,000; accounts are due within 15 days of the result.

⚠️ On 27 Feb 2026 the Chief Minister announced a 10% rise in the honorarium of Panchayati Raj and municipal heads and members. As of 28 Sep 2026 we found no order implementing it, so the rates above are those in force from 1 Apr 2025 — we will update once the order is issued.