CHENNAI: The Chennai Corporation is likely to get a woman mayor this year after a gap of 44 years since this has been reportedly reserved for women candidates in the ensuing local body elections.
While the corporations of Chennai, Salem, Coimbatore, Thanjavur and Dindigul have been reserved for women, Tuticorin has been reserved for SC/ST. The other five corporations - Tirunelveli, Tiruchy, Madurai, Tirupur and Erode have been reserved for general category.
However, sources from these local bodies told Express that there has not been any official communication in this regard. During 1971-72, Kamakshi Jayaraman was the Chennai Mayor. After a gap of 44 years, Chennai is gearing up to have a woman mayor.
Sources said A Noorjahan, who had unsuccessfully contested for the May 16 Assembly elections from Chepauk-Triplicane constituency, is expected to be fielded as a mayoral candidate during the indirect election.
Since for the first time 50 per cent reservation is being implemented for women in all local bodies, many of the local body posts which were held by men so far have gone to women this time. During the 2011 local body elections, 33 per cent of posts were reserved for women.
Salem Narasingapuram municipality has now been reserved for SC women. Pudukkottai district panchayat has now gone to woman (general). Similarly, Tirupur district panchayat (general) allocated to men has now been allocated to SC Women. Six municipalities in Theni district at present have male chairmen.