PANJIM: Eight of the 11 municipal councils that will be going to the polls on October 25, will have women as chairpersons.
This was decided by the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) that is currently working on delimitation and reservation in municipal councils. The process is expected to be completed by July 31.
Sources said that DMA has decided to reserve the post of chairperson of the municipalities of Margao, Cuncolim, Pernem and Canacona for women candidate apart from the existing Ponda, Bicholim, Sanguem and Mormugao municipal councils.
“Department is also working on reserving seats for Scheduled Tribe (ST), Scheduled Caste (SC) and Other Backward Communities (OBC). DMA has identified seven municipal councils where there is sizeable population of the ST, SC and OBC,” sources said.
The State government, through an ordinance issued on June 11 amended the Municipality Act, thereby increasing the wards of seven municipal councils. A total of 22 additional wards were added to the existing 137 wards.
The ward strength of the two big municipal bodies – Mormugao and Margao – which is currently at 20 wards each, has been increased to 25 wards each. These are ‘A’ class municipalities, each with a population close to 1 lakh.
Class ‘B’ municipality Mapusa, which currently has 15 seats will now have 20, while Bicholim and Cuncolim councils that have 10 wards each will now have 12 each. In the case of Curchorem-Cacora Municipal Council the new wards strength will be 14 as against 12, while Quepem will have 11 wards as against 10.
Canacona, Sanguem, Pernem and Valpoi, all ‘C’ class municipalities, will have 10 wards each.
