High Court stays reservation for HDMC Mayor’s post

DHARWAD

The Dharwad bench of High Court has put a brake on the reservation for the post of mayor in Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC). The term of the present Mayor and Deputy Mayor ends on June 28 and the Regional Commissioner is yet to notify the election for the post of next Mayor and Deputy Mayor. The post of mayor has been reserved for General (Woman) and that of Deputy Mayor for general category. Corporator Shivu Menasinakai had approached the court questioning why the mayor's post in HDMC is reserved for general category for only one term in its five year-tenure, while it has been reserved for three terms in Mangaluru and Belagavi municipal corporations in the state. After the new body came into existance following elections to HDMC in September 2021, Iresh Anchatageri had occupied the Mayor's chair as it was resereved for general category. After that, Veena Baradwad had become the Mayor followed by Ramanna Badiger under OBC ‘A' quota. Now for the fourth term, the post of Mayor is reserved for General (Woman) and for the fifth term it will be meant for SC (Woman). Questioning the reservation pattern in the high court, Menasinakai, said it was unfair to reserve the post of Mayor for general category for only one term. Taking up the case for hearing, the HC has stayed the election to the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor till it gave a final verdict.

Under general category, reservation was allotted only once during the current five-year administrative term of the municipal corporation. The court, after hearing the petition, issued a stay order on the election. Petitioner Shivu Menasinakai said, the Mayoral post in Mysuru and Mangaluru municipal corporations has been reserved for general category candidates twice, he said.