Tamil Nadu: Mayor post in Chennai, Tambaram reserved for SC women

Ahead of the urban local body polls, the Tamil Nadu government on Monday reserved the mayor post in Chennai and Tambaram corporations scheduled caste (SC) women. It also reserved the mayor post in Avadi corporation for SC (general).

Mayor posts in nine other corporations — Cuddalore, Dindigul, Vellore, Karur, Sivakasi, Kancheepuram, Madurai, Coimbatore, and Erode — have been reserved for women (general).

The Tamil Nadu government has also reserved the post of chairperson of 10 municipalities to SC (general), 10 municipalities to SC (women), 58 others to women (general).

மாநகராட்சி, நகராட்சி ஆகியவற்றின் தலைவர்களை நேரடியாக மக்களே வாக்களித்துத் தேர்ந்தெடுக்கும் முறையை மீண்டும் நடைமுறைப்படுத்த வேண்டுகிறோம். அத்துடன், துணைத் தலைவர் பதவிகளில் தலித் பழங்குடியினர் மற்றும் மகளிருக்கு உயர்நீதிமன்றம் அளித்துள்ள தீர்ப்பின்படி இட ஒதுக்கீடு வழங்க தமிழக(1/2)..

— Thol. Thirumavalavan (@thirumaofficial) January 18, 2022

The post of chairman in one municipality in Nelliyam in Nilgiris district has been reserved for a woman from the scheduled tribe (ST).

Chairperson posts in town panchayats have been reserved for ST, SC (general and women) as well as women (general).

The state government passed this order under the Tamil Nadu Town Panchayats, Municipalities, Corporations (Delimitation of Wards or Divisions and Reservations) Rules, 1996. The state is likely to hold indirect elections and hence elected councillors would be able to elect the eligible candidates for the above posts.

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) founder and MP Thol Thirumavalavan congratulated the government for the decision. VCK, however, appealed to Chief Minister MK Stalin to consider conducting direct elections to the posts as per the practice before.

The state election commission has called for an all-party meeting on Wednesday over the conduct of the urban local body polls.