Mahasamund is governed by the Mahasamund Nagar Palika Parishad (Municipal Council), which is responsible for civic infrastructure, sanitation, water supply, and local urban planning. The council is headed by a Municipal President (often referred to locally as the Mayor) and consists of elected ward councilors.
As a district headquarters, the city also hosts the District Collectorate. The District Collector and Magistrate, an IAS officer appointed by the state government, oversees the broader administration, law and order, and implementation of government schemes for the entire Mahasamund district. Politically, the city is represented in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) and is part of the Mahasamund Lok Sabha constituency in the national parliament.