sex-ratio of 1,023 females for every 1,000 males, much above the national average of 929. A total of 12,013 were under the age of six, constituting 6,121 males and 5,892 females. Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes accounted for 15.15% and 0.09% of the population respectively. The average literacy of the town was 85.13%, compared to the national average of 72.99%. The town had a total of 40,559 households. There were a total of 61,013 workers, comprising 94 cultivators, 218 main agricultural labourers, 800 in house hold industries, 26,529 other workers, 3,372 marginal workers, 11 marginal cultivators, 100 marginal agricultural labourers, 202 marginal workers in household industries and 3,059 other marginal workers. It consists of 36 wards. Islam is the majority religion in the town, while Hinduism is a close second. There is a small Christian minority. Deccani Urdu is the main language of the town and is spoken by 55.6%, while Tamil is a significant minority of 38.8%. A small Telugu minority of 4.2% is also there due to the proximity of Andhra Pradesh. Leather tanning is a major industry of the town and leather garments, and making leather shoes are one of the economies of the town even today Vaniyambadi leathers have separate value in the global leather market. Agriculture, especially coconut plantations, is the other major source of livelihood. Administration and Politics The Vaniyambadi Municipality was formed by the British Government in April 1886. In 1996 this Municipality was upgraded to Grade II Municipality by Rural Development Local Administration Dept. dated 01.05.1996. In 1998, this Municipality was upgraded to 1st Grade. The town consists of 36 Wards each with an elected Councillor. Legislative power is vested in the member council, headed by an elected chairperson and assisted by a deputy chairperson. The Municipal Commissioner governs the departments of the municipality. Law and order is maintained by the Tamil Nadu Police, headed by a Deputy superintendent. Vaniyambadi is a part of the Vaniyambadi assembly constituency. The city elects its member to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly once in every five years. The city is part of the Vellore Lok Sabha constituency consisting of six assembly constituencies: Vellore, Vaniyambadi, Ambur, Gudiyatham, Anaicut and Kilvaithinankuppam (SC). Since 1952, the Vaniyambadi Assembly seat was held by the ADMK four times (1980, 2002 (by-election), 2011 and 2016), by the DMK four times (1962, 1989, 1996 and 2006), by the Indian National Congress three