Sindh Assembly adopts local government bill

The bill will give the Election Commission of Pakistan the authority to carryout delimitation in the province


Hafeez Tunio October 20, 2014

KARACHI: In line with the Supreme Court decision on March 20, the Sindh Assembly on Monday passed a law to handover delimitation powers of union councils to the election commission.

After this legislation, the provincial election commission will carry the delimitation process by prescribing limits of union councils, union committees, wards in municipal committees, town committees and corporations before holding the local government election.

“As per Article140 of the Constitution, it is the provincial government’s discretion to make the delimitation of union councils.  But we are now handing over these powers to the election commission complying with the decision of the SC,” Sindh Law Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro said while moving the Sindh local government amendment bill 2014.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah while briefing the session said his government had finished the delimitation process a few months ago and wanted to hold LG elections, but MQM and a few other parties challenged it which caused delays in holding the election.

As the bill was moved to make the law, a few members from the opposition raised objections for not providing them with copies of the bill.

“You are violating the rules of the assembly, the bill cannot be passed within a few minutes. The members of this August House should either be given two days or the bill should be referred to a standing committee to review it,” Pakistan Muslim League-Functional parliamentary leader Nand Kumar said.

Mandhro was of the view that the assembly, with the permission of the speaker, can relax the rules and pass the resolution.

“The apex court has given us a deadline of two days. We cannot wait for further deliberation on this minor amendment to the law which has already been passed with the consultation of various stakeholders in 2013,” Mandhro said.

Later, the speaker moved the bill in the house for which the assembly voted in favour of unanimously.

Earlier, MQM members had boycotted the session by submitting their application seeking the opposition seats inside the house.

“We have parted ways with the government and cannot sit on treasury benches,” MQM deputy parliamentary leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan said while leaving the house with 51 other members.

COMMENTS (4)

Masood Khan | 9 years ago | Reply

@Jibran: CM Sindh is correct to state that his government has already done the delimitations which was challenged by MQM & others. So the reason for MQM boycott is not the delimitation by EC but keeping the vote bank intact for the forthcoming LG elections. Still I am unsure PP will ever hold the LG elections; that's not in line with its past track.

Aiman Kay | 9 years ago | Reply

I believe local bodies elections to be held soon and this is the cause and not the delimitation.

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