Mumbai, Pune to have female mayors

Mumbai is all set to have a woman as its mayor after a long gap.

Pune and neighbouring Thane district, where elections are being held on February 1 with seven other municipal corporations will also have female mayors.

This was decided after a draw of lots to decide reservation for the mayoral post in 22 municipal corporations in the state, held at the state secretariat, Mantralaya, on Wednesday.

Minister of State for Urban Development Rajesh Tope announced the draw results.

The municipal corporations, which will have women mayors are Mumbai, Pimpri Chinchwad, (both from other Backward Classes), Ulhasnagar (Scheduled Caste), Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune and Solapur (all general category). Except for Navi Mumbai, elections are being held in other six bodies on February 1.

Pune earlier had a woman from Scheduled Caste as Mayor while Navi Mumbai had a woman from Other Backward Classes as mayor. In Mumbai, the mayor's post was earlier reserved for general category.

Following are the newly reserved posts: Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Mira Bhayander, Nashik, Malegaon, Dhule, Jalgaon, Kolhapur, Aurangabad and Nanded Waghala (all reserved for general category).

Polling is being held in Nashik on Thursday. Kalyan-Dombivli Mayor's post has been reserved for Scheduled Caste candidate while in Nagpur, a Scheduled Tribes nominee will be the next Mayor. Polling for Nagpur civic body is scheduled tomorrow.

Ahmednagar, Sangli-Miraj-Kupwad, Akola and Amravati will have mayor from among OBCs.