In a surprising turn of events, SB Madhavi, the first female duffadar (marshal) of the Greater Chennai Corporation, has been transferred from the mayor's office following allegations that she defied an order regarding her appearance. The incident stems from her choice to wear lipstick during an official assignment last month, which reportedly led to her transfer just minutes after she questioned the rationale behind the restriction. According to a report by the Times of India , Madhavi, 50, confronted Mayor R Priya’s personal assistant, Siva Sankar, demanding to see the government order that prohibited her from wearing lipstick.
In her response to an August 6 memo outlining charges of “dereliction of duty” and “disobeying orders of seniors,” she asserted, “This is Greater Chennai Corporation , and such instructions are a violation of human rights.” She argued that as long as her duties were fulfilled, her appearance should not be subject to arbitrary rules. "You asked me not to wear lipstick , but I did.
If this is a crime, show me the government order banning me from wearing lipstick," Hindustan Times reported Madhavi responded to Shankar's August 6 memo. The mayor, Priya , representing the DMK, stated that Madhavi's participation in a fashion show during Women’s Day celebrations drew criticism, leading to the directive about her appearance. "Her use of matte lipsticks was considered too striking, especially since we often host ministers and embassy officials.
