Budget bust-up: Opposition’s request for vote of confidence turned down
District nazim says councillors’ requisition incomplete.
MANSEHRA:
The nazim and naib nazim of Mansehra district council have turned down a request put forward by district councillors to take a fresh vote of confidence from the house.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Mansehra district nazim Sardar Said Ghulam said 32 district councillors from PTI and PPP had submitted a requisition asking both nazim and naib nazim to take a fresh vote of confidence.
The request was sent to the district council secretary on January 4. It was submitted because the district councillors believed the budget passed on December 21 did not fulfil constitutional requirements.
Under the request, the opposition members said the nazim required 44 members in a house that ideally comprises 88 members to pass the budget. However, he only obtained 43 votes and was therefore bound to hold a session to seek a fresh vote of confidence within seven days.
However, Ghulam said the opposition members failed to provide substantial evidence to the secretary to prove the budget had not been passed properly. He added, “Their requisition was incomplete, lacked admissible evidence and could not be entertained under the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act 2013.”
Ghulam said he wrote to the K-P local government secretary and Mansehra DC in this regard. “I informed them since the district council has 85 members, 43 votes fulfil the requirement and the budget can be adopted,” he said. “I urged them to facilitate the transfer of funds to the district council.”
Settling scores
According to Ghulam, the request goes to show how opposition parties threw a spanner in the works to settle their scores.
“This undemocratic attitude will serve no purpose and only create problems for the public,” he said. “Government departments would also be affected as their employees would suffer due to delays in transfer of funds.” Ghulam asked the opposition to join hands with the treasury benches to ensure social welfare.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 7th, 2016.
The nazim and naib nazim of Mansehra district council have turned down a request put forward by district councillors to take a fresh vote of confidence from the house.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Mansehra district nazim Sardar Said Ghulam said 32 district councillors from PTI and PPP had submitted a requisition asking both nazim and naib nazim to take a fresh vote of confidence.
The request was sent to the district council secretary on January 4. It was submitted because the district councillors believed the budget passed on December 21 did not fulfil constitutional requirements.
Under the request, the opposition members said the nazim required 44 members in a house that ideally comprises 88 members to pass the budget. However, he only obtained 43 votes and was therefore bound to hold a session to seek a fresh vote of confidence within seven days.
However, Ghulam said the opposition members failed to provide substantial evidence to the secretary to prove the budget had not been passed properly. He added, “Their requisition was incomplete, lacked admissible evidence and could not be entertained under the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act 2013.”
Ghulam said he wrote to the K-P local government secretary and Mansehra DC in this regard. “I informed them since the district council has 85 members, 43 votes fulfil the requirement and the budget can be adopted,” he said. “I urged them to facilitate the transfer of funds to the district council.”
Settling scores
According to Ghulam, the request goes to show how opposition parties threw a spanner in the works to settle their scores.
“This undemocratic attitude will serve no purpose and only create problems for the public,” he said. “Government departments would also be affected as their employees would suffer due to delays in transfer of funds.” Ghulam asked the opposition to join hands with the treasury benches to ensure social welfare.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 7th, 2016.