From 90 to 21 yrs, women panchayat heads take charge

S Perumaathaal, the 90-year old woman, who’s now the president of Sivanthipatti panchayat, was delighted to take part in the swearing-in ceremony before the electoral authority on Wednesday.

After taking oath, a jubilant Perumaathaal said, she would cater to the needs of the people, who believed in her and voted her to power.

She has been acknowledged by winning with 77.12 per cent of votes, leaving behind two women contenders. Perumaathaal achieved the victory with 1,561 votes to her credit. The contenders, including K Selvarani with 426 votes and A Uma, who lost her deposit after bagging a paltry 37 votes, were not even in the contest.

Striking a contrast, 21-year-old K Anu, said to be the youngest candidate in Tamil Nadu, was elected as president of Therkkumedu village panchayat, Sengottai union of Tenkasi district. Anu, a BA graduate, got 534 votes among six contestants. Her father Kannan was three-time president from the same panchayat. She promised to bring e-governance to the village and attract state and Central government schemes for rural development, sources said.

On the other hand, a 22-year-old young girl Charulatha, from the neighboring Tenkasi district, took charge as president of Vengadampatti village in Kadayam union.