(1) Subject to the provisions of Chapter XIV, it shall be the duty of the president of a municipal council to, --

(a) preside, unless prevented by reasonable cause, at all meetings of the municipal council and subject to the provisions of the rules for the time being in force under clause (a) of sub-section (2) of section 323, to regulate the conduct of business at such meetings;

(b) watch over the financial and executive administration of the municipal council;

(c) perform all the duties and exercise all the powers specifically imposed or conferred upon him by, or delegated to him under and in accordance with this Act;

(d) furnish within a period of a fortnight to the Commissioner or to such other officer as the Commissioner shall from time to time nominate in this behalf, a copy of every resolution passed at any meeting of the municipal council; and

(e) furnish any extract from the minutes of the proceedings of the municipal council or of any committee or other document or thing which the Commissioner or other officer calls for under section 304.

¹ [(2) The President of a municipal council may, in cases of emergency direct the execution or stoppage of any work or the doing of any act which requires the sanction of the municipal council, and the immediate execution or doing of which is, in his opinion, necessary for the service or safety of the public, and may direct that the expenses of executing such work or doing such act shall be paid from the municipal fund:

Provided that, --

(a) he shall not act under this section in contravention of any order ofthe municipal council prohibiting the execution of any particular work or the doing of any particular act, and

(b) he shall report forthwith the action taken under this section andthe reason therefor to the standing committee at its next meeting.]

2 [(3) The President shall have the following additional powers, namely:--

(a) to issue directions to the ³ [Municipal Commissioner] or the Chief Officer to implement the resolutions of the Council or the Standing Committees;

(b) to require the Administration Report and the Annual Report of theCouncil prepared and placed before the end of the year;

(c) to issue directions to the concerned officers to comply with thepoints made out in the audit report;

(d) to undertake inspection and supervision of the works taken up by the Council; and

(e) to call for any record but the same to be returned within one month.

(4) The President shall ex-officio be a member of all the standing committees but without the power of vote on any question.

(5) The ³ [Municipal Commissioner] or the Chief Officer shall, whenever they address communications to Government, simultaneously forward copies thereof to the President.]

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1. Inserted by Act 34 of 1966 w.e.f. 16.1.1967.

2. Inserted by Act 83 of 1976 w.e.f. 8.12.1976.

3. Substituted by Act 33 of 1984w.e.f. 26.6.1984.