India, Oct. 6 -- Mayors from across the country have made a strong pitch for a uniform tenure, powers and responsibilities for mayors, arguing that wildly varying terms-from one year to five years-undermine continuity in urban governance and leave elected civic heads too little time to deliver.

The demand came at the 118th All India Mayors' Conference in Chandigarh, attended by around 40 mayors and representatives from 19 states that concluded at Chandigarh on October 6. Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria also backed the call for greater uniformity, while stressing that mayors must rise above party politics and concentrate on civic issues.

Kataria said the Chandigarh Administration had already sent a propos...