Trouble in paradise?: Working group members differ on LG election process

Majority say direct voting can create complications in terms of a vote of no confidence.

PESHAWAR:

Differences have emerged among members of the working group responsible for framing the draft of the local government system.

A group member told The Express Tribune that seven members of the committee were in favour of indirect voting for district and tehsil council chairperson positions, while six were in support of direct elections.

If the system of indirect elections is approved, tehsil and district council chairpersons will be elected by a committee of 11 people (chosen via direct voting) while in direct elections, the chairperson would be voted for by the public.

Most of the members of the working group argue that direct voting can create complications in terms of a vote of no confidence.



In a meeting held last week, it was decided that under the new local government setup elections in village councils will be held on non-party basis and on party-basis in tehsil and district councils.

Another member of the group, Jamaat-e-Islami’s  (JI) Iqbal Khan said recommendations on the new structure came to the front after all coalition partners and party leaders were consulted.



“The secretary for local government will brief the chief minister and the party leaders next week,” Khan said, adding the draft will come back to the committee for final amendments before being sent to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa assembly and cabinet.

Iqbal added there is no longer any room for differences as all parties were kept in the loop throughout the process.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 21^st, 2013.