Plea against more seats reserved for women in Chennai Corpn polls

Advocate V Parthiban moved the writ plea through his counsel Ma Gouthaman challenging a government notification dated May 24, 2019, that the wards reserved for women do not align with the 50 per cent reservation allocated to the women under the Tamil Nadu Municipality (Amendment) Act, 2016.

The gazette notification issued by the State has wrongful mentions that 89 wards are reserved for women candidates while it should be 84, the petitioner contended before the first bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice PD Audikesavalu.

In his petition, Parthiban said the Chennai Corporation has a total of 200 wards. “While 16 wards have been reserved for Scheduled Caste (General) candidates, another 16 wards have been allocated to SC women candidates. Therefore, the remaining 168 wards out of 200 wards have to be considered for the 50 per cent reservation as per the Tamil Nadu Municipality (Amendment) Act, 2016 reservation,” Gouthaman submitted on behalf of his counsel.

The petitioner stated that the 168 general wards should have been equally divided, i.e. 84 for men and 84 for women.

“However, the gazette notification says that 89 wards are allocated for women in the general category. It is clear discrimination shown against men and illegal as well as arbitrary,” the petitioner submitted.

He wanted the government to set right the defect in awarding a 50 per cent quota for men in the Chennai city corporation elections. The bench informed the petitioner that it would take up the matter coming Monday.