For epicentral distances R < 100 km, the definition of the local magnitude scale, M₁ must be modified to reflect the near source geometry, and to reconcile the differences between the strong motion magnitude MSSM L (based on strong motion data) and the distant seismological estimates using ML, Ms (local and surface wave magnitude) and other magnitude scales. The procedure for computing M is illustrated for Dharamshala MSMi L earthquake of 1986 in India.