Rameswaram - Municipal Administration and Politics

Municipal Administration and Politics

According to the Madras Presidency Panchayat Act of 1885, Rameswaram was declared a panchyat union during British times. It became a township during 1958 and was declared a municipality in 2004. Rameswaram is a 3rd grade municipality having 21 wards, out of which 6 are General wards for women and one is reserved for SC (Scheduled Caste) women. The major sources of budgeted income for Rameswaram municipality comes from Devolution Fund of 1.7 crore (US$ 0.3 million) and property tax of 0.24 crore (US$ 43,000). The major expense heads are for salaries of 0.6 crore (US$ 0.1 million), operating expenses of 0.37 crore (US$ 65,000) and repair & maintenance expenditure of 0.23 crore (US$ 42,000). The functions of the municipality are devolved into six departments: General, Engineering, Revenue, Public Health, Town planning and the Computer Wing. All these departments are under the control of a Municipal Commissioner who is the supreme executive head. The legislative powers are vested in a body of 21 members, one each from the 21 wards. The legislative body is headed by an elected Chairperson assisted by a Deputy Chairperson.

Rameswaram comes under the Ramanathapuram assembly constituency and it elects a member to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly once every five years. The current MLA of the constituency is Dr. M.H. Jawahirullah from the Muslim Munnera Kazhagam, which aligned with ADMK in the 2011 elections.

Rameswaram is a part of the Ramanathapuram (Lok Sabha constituency) – it has been realigned in 2008 to have the following assembly constituencies – Paramakudi (SC), Ramanathapuram, Mudukulathur, Aranthangi, Tiruchuli (newly created). The constituency was traditionally a strong hold of the Indian National Congress that won 6 times till the 1991 elections, after which it was won twice each by the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK) and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The current Member of Parliament from the constituency is J.K. Riteesh from the DMK.