‘Wearing lipstick’ proves costly for Chennai’s first female Duffadar. Here’s how

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,” Mayor Priya explained. However, she insisted that the transfer was unrelated to the lipstick incident.
Priya is the first mayor from a Scheduled Caste.
Madhavi expressed her discontent with the transfer to the Manali zone, describing it as a “punishment posting” given its distance from her previous assignment. Madhavi claimed that even though she was near Annanagar, Ambattur and Valasaravakkam, being transferred to the remote Manali region was like a punishment.
The post of duffadar remains vacant following her transfer, highlighting the ongoing discussions around workplace policies and personal expression within the Greater Chennai Corporation.