Kollam Municipal Corporation (KMC) is an ISO 9001:2015 certified civic body that governs the city of Kollam in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the fourth-largest city corporation by population in the state, and the fifth-largest by area. Constituted in 1903 it was officially recognized as a city corporation in 2000. The body governs an area of centered at Kollam, with about 55 divisions and a population of 397,419. History Kollam, known historically as Quilon, was an ancient trade hub and one of the largest port cities in Asia. The population density of the coastal belt of Kollam is very high compared to any other city in the state. After the constitution of Kochi, it became a corporation in 1967 as there were intense demands to upgrade the densely populated Kollam City into a City Corporation. As a result, on 1October 2000, Kollam Municipality was upgraded to a Municipal Corporation by the Kerala Government. The city population of Kollam increased substantially from 139,852 in 1991 to 346,013 in 2011. In 1991, the Vadakkevila, Sakthikulangara, Eravipuram and Kilikollur Panchayats were merged with Kollam City. As a result, the area run by the Municipal Corporation increased from to . In May 2015, Thrikkadavoor Panchayat was also merged with Kollam city, increasing the total population to 397,419, with a total area of . Structure The City Corporation of Kollam has a 55-member council headed by a mayor, who is assisted by a deputy mayor. The average population of every ward is around 7,000. Each ward is represented in the Municipal Council by an elected councilor. The Kerala Municipalities (KM) Act, 1994, governs all functions in the KMC. The Corporation has eight standing committees for smooth governance of the city. Each of these committees is headed by an elected councilor, who serves as its chairperson. The standing committees are: Finance, Development, Welfare, Health and Education, Public works, Town planning, Tax appeal and Education and Sports. Zones For ease of administration, the KMC is divided into the following seven zones, each housing a zonal office: Central Zone - 1, Central Zone - 2, Sakthikulangara Zone, Vadakkevila Zone, Kilikollur Zone, Eravipuram Zone and Thrikkadavoor Zone. Councils The KMC consists of 55 divisions or councils spread across its seven zones. In 2014, Mrs. Prasanna Earnest, then-mayor of Kollam was selected as the Best Lady Mayor of South India by the Rotary Club of Trivandrum Royal. Functions