Calcutta Corporation the municipal authority in Calcutta. There was no municipal authority in Calcutta in the initial period. There was of course the mayor's court, established in 1726, but it had only judicial functions. The east india company, when granted the diwani of Bengal on 12 August 1765, took upon itself the responsibility of rendering civic services together with its judicial and revenue collecting functions. The Collector of Calcutta performed these functions. After 1773, when Calcutta became the Capital of British India, the demand for municipal services got momentum.

The municipal administration of Calcutta was taken from the Collector and vested with the Justices of the Peace comprising the Governor General, his council members and the Judeges of the Supreme Court in 1794. With this the statutory civic services began. The Chief Magistrate performed the day-to-day municipal services.

The voting right of tax-payers was partially recognised by an Act of 1847. A committee of seven salaried members, of whom four were elected, took the place of the Justices of the peace. By an amendment of the Act in 1852 the number of members of the committee was refixed at four, of whom two were elected and two nominated. Their salary was to be not more than 250 rupees. In 1856 the committee was reconstituted with only three government nominated members. It was at this time that the posts of engineer, health officer, surveyor, tax-collector, assessor etc. were created.

The elective system in the Corporation was introduced only in 1876. Two-thirds of 72 municipal commissioners were to be elected and the rest, including the Chairman, were government nominated. In 1888 the number of commissioners was increased from 72 to 75 of whom 50 were elected and the rest nominated, 15 by the government and 10 by the Chamber of Commerce, the Port Trust etc. By the Mackenjee Act of 1899 powers were divided among three authorities - the Corporation, the General Committee and the Chairman. The Corporation was formed of 25 members nominated by the government, nominated Chairman, 25 elected public representatives, Chamber of Commerce etc. The General Committee, consisting of the Chairman and 12 Commissioners, was endowed with more powers than the Corporation. Public representatives had no place in this Committee. Above all, the Chairman was given absolute power. 28 elected representatives resigned in protest against the curtailing of rights of public representation. It drew the attention of the entire nation at that time.

As per the proposal moved by surendranath banerjea, the first minister of the local self-government, in 1923 it was decided that of the 90 councillors only 8 would be government nominated and the remaining 82 would be elected. It was further decided that the councillors would elect 5 distinguished citizens as Alderman. These 95 members would elect a Mayor and a Deputy Mayor from among them every year. The Mayor was given the power to preside over meetings of the Corporation. The first elected Mayor assumed office in 1924. A Chief-Executive Officer assisted by two helping hands would run all day-to-day transactions of the city. From this time the greater Calcutta was formed with the addition of Maniktala, Kasipur, Chitpur, Garden Reach and some other areas.

The Calcutta Corporation provided many services. It began to supply filtered water from 1870. From the water supply centre at Palta, a big iron water tank at Tala and pumping stations at Watganj and Mallikghat water was supplied to the entire city. From 1861 to 1912 the Corporation had charge of the city's fire brigade. From 1857-58 the first sewerage system was introduced in Calcutta. As per the proposed project of William Clark, the chief engineer of Calcutta municipality, the system of flowing used and rain water through the underground sewerage with the help of some big pumping stations was taken.

Under the supervision and with the monetary assistance of the Corporation some charitable dispensaries, maternity homes, centres for treatment of tuberculosis etc. were established. Medical officers were appointed to check up the health of the students of the Corporation run schools. The medical department started to take action against the offenders who sold vapid and adulterated food and drinks.

Since its establishment, one of the main duties of the Corporation was/is to keep the city clean. In the early stage there was a railway through the Circular Road to carry household waste and other dirt. Busties (slums) are always considered to be uncongenial to a city environment and the Calcutta Corporation has been spending a lot of money in keeping the busties neat and clean as far as practicable.

Arranging primary education for children is another responsibility of the Corporation. The Corporation also takes measures to impart vocational training. It also runs a few teachers' training centres.

In 1871 the Corporation decided to set up a few market places with its own fund. The New Market was opened on the New Year's Day, 1874. The Corporation also re-organised the Dharmatala market. Besides these the Lansdowne market, Sir Charles Allen market and the College Street market were opened in 1903, 1910 and 1917 respectively.

The Corporation also runs slaughterhouses and washermen's depots. From 1861 to 1912 it had also the charge of city's fire brigade. The headquarters of the Corporation is in No 5 Surendranath Banerjea Road, built in 1872. [Aksadul Alam]