The Times of India 19.11.2013
BMC mayor post dereserved, Cuttack to have SC woman boss
BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Monday set the ball rolling for elections to urban local bodies in twin cities Bhubaneswar and Cuttack by notifying the reservation status of different wards and mayor posts.
While the post of the mayor of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been declared unreserved, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) mayor would be from Scheduled Caste (woman) category, according to a housing and urban development department notification. In the 2008 election, the BMC mayor's post was reserved for the OBC category, while the CMC mayor post was kept unreserved.
Elections to BMC and CMC are due in December and February respectively. While BMC's term would end on December 9, 2013, the existing CMC council's tenure is up to February 12, 2014.
The government, following delimitation of wards, has increased the number of wards in Bhubaneswar from 60 to 67 and in Cuttack from 54 to 59, official sources said.
In Bhubaneswar, 17 wards are reserved for woman, while 13 wards have been reserved for OBC, SC and ST women. Eleven wards have been reserved for OBC, SC and ST candidates and 18 for open category.
In Cuttack, 19 wards are for women and 15 wards for women of OBC, SC and ST categories. Further, 13 wards have been reserved for SC, ST and OBC category, while 20 have been kept unreserved, sources added.
