Under the Provisions of Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporations Act , 1949, Section - 4, the powers have been vested in three Distinct Statutory Authorities :

• General Board
• Standing Committee
• Municipal Commissioner

GENERAL BOARD: The General Board is the supreme body of the Corporation constituted by elected members from each wards. Three members are elected from each ward hence the 34 wards makes a total of 102 councillors. One third of the seats are reserved for ladies. Its term is for a five year duration after which elections are held once again.

STANDING COMMITTEE: The Standing Committee is one of the twelve statutory committees and is one of the most powerful committees. It has the powers to sanction and award major works of cost over Rs. Five lacs. It is also vested with financial powers.

OTHER COMMITTEES: There are other twelve committees which look after specialized functions of SMC.

The Constitution of Corporation/General Board

• The General Board is the Supreme Body of the Municipal Corporation constituted by elected members from each wards. The General Board has wide powers over all other authorities of the Corporation like Standing Committee & Municipal Commissioner. At present, there are 34 wards of this Surat Municipal Corporation, each ward consists 3 seats of councillor out of them 33 % of seats are reserved for female. Each councilor is elected for a term of five years. Total No of Councilors for this term is 102. All the Councilors were elected by General Election and every Councilor deserves to be appointed in various Committees for succeeding one year. After that they retire form that particular committee.
• The First meeting of Corporation and Standing Committee after general election shall be held as early as convenient on a day and at a time and at the place to be fixed by the Municipal Commissioner. Thereafter each meeting fixed by the Mayor and Standing Committee respectively.
• The Corporation shall at its first meeting elect one of its member to be from amongst the councillors the Mayor (the term of Mayor is two & half year) and the Dy. Mayor (the term of Dy. Mayor is one succeeding year). All the councilors are member of General Board.
• The Corporation shall at its first meeting after general election appoint any 12 councilors out of its own body to be the member of the Standing committee and 9 councilors as a member of each Special Committees. Every meeting of General Board may be open to the Public. The presiding authority/Chairman for the General Board is Mayor, if he is absent or the post thereof is vacant, the charge of the same is to be hold by the Dy. Mayor.
• Every Committee may appoint two of its members to be its Chairman and Vice Chairman. The term of every member of each committee may be for a one succeeding year from the date of such election All members shall be eligible for reappointment.
• There shall be in each month at least one ordinary meeting of the Corporation. Notice of each ordinary meeting shall specify the time and place at which such meeting is to be held.
• All the Councilors are member of General Board and have power to vote and give opinion for the business on the General Board's Agenda.
• The Commissioner shall remain present at a meeting of the Corporation and take part in the discussions with the permission of the presiding authority, may at any time make a statement or explanation of facts, but he shall not be at liberty to vote upon, or to make, any proposition at such meeting.

The Constitution of Standing Committee

• The Standing Committee consists of 12 Councilors.
• The Standing Committee is statutory committee having wide powers to empower the Municipal Commissioner to enter into the contracts of the works of cost exceeding Rs. Five lacs.
• There shall be a meeting of standing committee once in week under the mandatory provision of the BPMC Act 1949.
• There shall be a meeting of Standing Committee once in a Week, and at such other time as shall be decided by the Committee.
• One half of the members of the standing committee shall retire every succeeding year at noon on the first day of the month in which the first meeting of the Corporation was held.
• The Standing Committee has also powers to form sub Committee under its control for any specific business.

Special Committees

• There are 11 special committees of Municipal Corporation & three sub committees.
• Each special committee consists of 9 councilors.
• The meeting of the Corporation, standing Committee, special committees, sub committees and adhoc committee shall be held and the business before them shall be disposed of in the manner prescribed under rules and regulation framed by the General Board.