Aerial view of Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar/Cuttack, Nov. 18: The state government today earmarked the post of mayor of Bhubaneswar for the general category, while in Cuttack a woman from the Scheduled Caste community will occupy the top seat.

“The principle of rotation was adopted for reservation of mayor’s post,” said director of municipal administration Hrushikesh Tripathy.

During the 2008 municipal polls, the Bhubaneswar mayor’s post was reserved for the other backward classes, while in Cuttack it went to the general category.

The notification was issued today under the Odisha Municipal Corporation (Division of City Wards and Reservation of Seats and Conduct of Election) Rules, 2003.

The polls for the two urban local bodies are likely to be held in February next year. The notification is likely to be issued in December last week or January first week, according to sources at the state election commission’s office.

The election to the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation is due in December, while the civic polls in Cuttack is due in February.

The urban polls in Bhubanesewar have been deferred due to Phailin and delay in electoral roll revision.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Bhubaneswar mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said: “As I know, the principle of rotation is applicable. So I am happy.’’

Cuttack mayor Saumendra Ghose, however, refused to comment on the issue on the plea that he was yet to receive a copy of the reservation notification.

BJD councillor of ward No. 41 Pradipta Khuntia said: “As the mayor post was reserved for the general category in the last election it was due for change in keeping with the rotation system. The fresh notification and reservation is justified.”

However, a BJD councillor in Bhubaneswar, who did not want to be named, said: “If the government is talking about adhering to the rotation norm, the mayor’s post should have been reserved for a woman as in case of Cuttack and Berhampur Municipal Corporation.’’

However, an official of the urban development department said that as mayor’s post in two of three corporations — Cuttack and Berhampur — have been reserved for women candidates, the Bhubaneswar mayor’s post was left open for the general category.

In September, ward delimitation exercise was carried out in the two corporations as per the 2011 Census data.

Bhubaneswar will have its number of wards increased from 60 to 67. In Cuttack, five new wards have been added to the existing 54 wards. In Bhubaneswar 34 wards have been reserved for women, while for Cuttack it is 30.

The BJD government has earlier increased reservation for women from 33 per cent to 50 per cent.