LG poll hits snags amid Covid-19 fears

Publication of delimitation list deferred for 15 days

LAHORE:

The local government elections are likely to delay as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has deferred the publication of initial delimitation of constituencies for a fortnight on provincial government’s request, The Express Tribune learnt on Saturday.

An official of the Punjab Local Government and Community Development Department (LGCDD) disclosed that the provincial government has yet to seek approval of the provincial cabinet for naming village, panchayat and neighbourhood councils as required Under Section 3 of the Punjab Village Panchayats and Neighbourhood Councils Act 2019.

Though he highlighted, most spadework has been completed to hold local government election in the province, the government failed to complete this legal requirement owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

Earlier, it was announced that all necessary arrangements had been made, including demarcation of constituencies and enrolment of new voters by the ECP, and the commission would publish initial delimitation list on September 18. Following this delay, now publishing of initial lists of constituencies are expected in early October. After which 15 days will be given for filing of objections by voters and another fortnight will be required for settling these disputes. If no other obstacle arises, the final lists of constituencies are now expected in the first week of November, the official indicated.

Another reason for seeking extension in the publication of delimitation lists, he added, is the fear of spreading the coronavirus disease. The provincial government is of the view that if the commission had published initial lists there would be a huge rush in offices of the delimitation authorities for filling of objections and risk of spreading the viral disease could not be ruled out in the present situation. Health authorities are already warning about the second wave of coronavirus, he maintained.

Punjab Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Social Welfare Muhammad Basharat Raja, in a recent seminar on Punjab Local Government Act 2019, highlighted that contrary to previous local government systems, the new local government system will reduce the friction of power between federal, provincial and local representatives.

The new system would be first of its kind the South Asia under which people would directly elect a mayor in the style of London. The government is making serious efforts to hold local bodies elections as soon as possible, he added. Briefing on the Punjab Local Government Act 2019, the LGCDD Secretary Dr Ahmed Javed Qazi highlighted that under the new system, every divisional headquarters is being made metropolitan, before only Lahore municipality had the status of metropolitan. The new system will provide equal employment opportunities to other cities.

He further pointed out that earlier the opposition was half represented in the Punjab Local Government Commission but in the new system equal representation has been given. The government has already recruited 300 officers through the Punjab Public Service Commission to provide capable machinery to the new system. Process of hiring over 1,000 officers is underway, he added.

Highlighting digitisation of the local government system, he disclosed that around quarter- million people have already registered on Baldia Online mobile application. The government was in a process of making local government system transparent and paperless. Computerisation of employees’ data and human resource functions, like leaves, transfer and posting, is also underway. A comprehensive Human Resource Management Information System is being developed besides training and awareness-raising programs for local government employees, candidate and voters to make this system a success.

Statistics show that under the new system there would be around 21,600 village panchayats and over 3,500 neighbourhood councils would be constituted in Punjab. the election will be held in phased manner owing to availability of limited resources to simultaneously conduct elections on over 25,000 entities.