Urban planning in India has come a long way, the planning methods and techniques used for tackling urban issues have witnessed multiple reforms. Development Plans, for example, are expected not only to create solutions for current urban issues but also develop a vision for balanced growth. Cities are a mix of complex systems and the participation of all stakeholders is the way forward to achieve that balanced vision up to an extent. This paper intends to discuss the methodology that can be adopted by different urban local bodies (ULBs) in India to prepare their Development Plans, i.e. a ‘framework for stakeholders involvement’. Participation has to be holistic i.e. involvement of stakeholders from all social backgrounds the framework for participation required to overcome the presumed social barricades, technical challenges, and also identify the set of individuals who should be considered as stakeholders.