Mumbai's Lottery Picks a Woman Mayor: Controversy Arises

Mumbai's upcoming mayor will be a woman from the general category following a lottery by the Maharashtra Urban Development Department. The decision faced opposition from former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar, who argued that the category selection rules were unfairly altered. The procedure is crucial for determining mayoral eligibility in Mumbai.

Mumbai's next mayoral election has sparked controversy as it was revealed that the post will be held by a woman from the general category. This outcome was decided by a lottery conducted by the Maharashtra Urban Development Department, leading to heated discussions and opposition from political figures.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar has raised concerns about the transparency of the lottery process. She argued that the procedure was altered without public knowledge, suspecting bias since the last two mayors belonged to the general category.

The lottery system establishes the reservation category for Mumbai's mayoral position, including general, women, SC, ST, and OBC categories. As this decision affects candidate eligibility, tensions are high as Mumbai prepares for elections held alongside 28 other civic bodies in the state.

(With inputs from agencies.)