The Council
Chennai city was divided into 155 wards[1]. The wards were grouped under 10 zones. Each ward has an elected representative called the Ward Councilor. These Councilors form the Council at the Municipal Corporation and this body governs the city.[2] This year the city has been expanded into 200 wards and 15 zones to include 9 municipalities, 8 town panchayats and 25 village panchayats within the Greater Chennai Corporation limits. The expansion of the city has increased its population from 43 lakh to 60 lakh and the land area from 172 sq.km to 426 sq.km. [3]
The Mayor heads the Council. According to the Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919, the Mayor is elected directly by the citizens while the Deputy Mayor is elected from among the Councillors. Both the Mayor and the Deputy-Mayor are ineligible for re-election at the end of their term[4]. However in 2006 when the DMK came to power, the Mayor elections were made indirect, electing a person from among the Councilors to fill this post.[5] The current Mayor M.Subrahmaniam is also the Councilor for Ward 140.
With the movement of the Tamil Nadu Municipal Laws (Second Amendment) Act, 2011, the current state government has brought back the direct election of the post of Mayor.[6]A Deccan Chronicle report says that an ‘electorate of nearly six million – as many people as would vote to elect five MPs or 30 MLAs’ will elect the mayor for the first time since the expansion. This will also be the first election where Electronic Voting Machines will be used for local body elections.[7]
[1] Corporation of Chennai. Constitution of Council. , Web. <http://www.chennaicorporation.gov.in/council/index.htm>.
[2] Corporation of Chennai. “The Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919.” Chapter II,Constitution of the Council.
[3] The Deccan Chronicle, ‘6 million voters to elect mayor’, 7 Aug, 2011, http://www.deccanchronicle.com/channels/cities/chennai/6-million-voters-elect-mayor-923
[4] Corporation of Chennai. “The Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919.” Chapter II, Section 28-30.
[5]&\6 The Hindu, ‘Mayor to be elected directly’ , 31 Aug, 2011, http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article2414363.ece
[7] The Hindu, ‘Elections to local bodies on Oct 17,19’, 22 Sept, 2011, http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Chennai/article2474306.ece?css=print