धारा 51A-1A · Direct Election of President

5[(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 51, every Municipal Council, to which the general election is to be held after the date of the commencement of the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships (Amendment) Act, 2022, subject to the provisions of section 51-1A, shall have a President who shall be elected by the persons whose names are included in the Municipal Council voters list prepared under section 11.] (2) Every person qualified to be elected as a Councillor under section 15 shall be qualified to be elected as a President at an election. (3) Election of the President shall be held simultaneously with the general elections of the Council and the procedure regarding holding of elections to the Council shall, mutatis mutandis, apply to such election. (4) If at an election, no President is elected, a fresh election shall be held to elect a President, and if there is a failure to elect a President at the fresh election, such vacancy may, notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, be filled by election by the elected Councillors from amongst themselves. (5) Any person elected under sub-section (4) or (7) shall be deemed to be duly elected at an election under this section. (6) If, in the election of the President, there is an equality of votes, the result of the election shall be decided by lots to be drawn by the State Election Commissioner or the officer appointed by him for the purpose. (7) If, during the term of the elected Councillors, there is a vacancy in the office of the President due to any reason, the same procedure as provided in sub-sections (1) to (6) shall apply and such President shall remain in office only for the remainder of the term, for which his predecessor would have remained in office but for such casual vacancy: Provided that, if a vacancy occurs, which is within six months prior to the date on which the term of office of the Elected Councillors expires, the same shall be filled in by election from amongst the elected Councillors. (8) In case of a dispute regarding election of the President, the provisions of section 21 shall, mutatis mutandis, apply. (9) 1[The President] shall convene first general meeting of the Council within twenty-five days from the date on which the name of the President and the elected Councillors is published in the Official Gazette after the general election of the Council and the President. The nomination of the Councillors under clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 9 shall be made in the prescribed manner in this meeting.] 2[Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-section (3) of section 51A, the President elected under section 51A-1A, shall have a second or casting vote.] 3[* * *] 4[