TN: Now, you can elect your mayor direct

CHENNAI: Now, you can choose your mayors and municipal chairmen directly instead of the present system of councillors electing them.  To facilitate direct election, the State government on Tuesday amended laws relating to municipal corporations and municipalities.The rationale behind the move is to improve efficiency and ensure quick delivery of civic services to the people, the government said. Most mayors and municipal chairpersons are known to focus on developing their own wards, not the entire corporation or municipality.  During the discussion in the Assembly, all parties unanimously hailed the government move, while urging the State to bring a direct election system at the district and panchayat union level polls too. Deputy leader of the opposition, Panruti S Ramachandran said the move was an important step towards halting corruption. “The distribution of wards has been done in a disorderly manner with respect to general and reserved seats. This should be looked into,” Ramachandran said.  Meanwhile, CPI member S Gunasekaran, said women should be given 50 per cent reservation.In his reply, Municipal Administration Minister K P Munusamy said Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had declared as early as in 2006 that mayors would be chosen directly by the electorate.  “Today it has been done.” Referring to the plea of members that district panchayat chairpersons too must be elected directly, he said the issue came under the scope of Article 243 (C) of the Cons­titution governing Panchayats over which the Centre had  the say.