More representation: LG bill proposes increase in reserved seats for women to 33%
States election shall be held on the basis of adult franchise and joint electorates.
The proposed bill envisages a total of 1,540 seats including seats for women, non-Muslims, peasants/workers and youth. PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
The proposed draft of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Local Government (LG) bill for 2013 has increased the proportion of reserved seats for women in tehsil and district councils from 10 to 33%.
The 33% quota of reserved seats for women in elected bodies was first introduced under the local government system by former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf in 2001. However, the local government act of 2012 reduced this number to 10% for tehsil and district councils.
The 2001 act retained 5% seats for minorities and peasant workers but allocated the 5% provided to technocrats in 2012 to the youth in the proposed legislation. Section 16 of the K-P Local Government Act, 2012 provided 10% reserved seats for women in district and tehsil councils and 5% each for peasants/workers, non-Muslims and technocrats.
The draft of the LG bill for 2013 was introduced in the K-P Assembly during last week’s session. It has been referred to a select committee for further discussion and changes.
Under the new bill, village and neighbourhood councils will replace union councils. The grassroots level of local government will comprise 5 to 10 members, determined on the basis of population and elected seats. Two seats have been reserved for women and one seat each for peasants/workers, non-Muslims and youth. A reserved seat for youth on village and neighbourhood councils was non-existent in previous laws.
The proposed bill envisages a total of 1,540 seats including seats for women, non-Muslims, peasants/workers and youth across 25 districts of the province. Peshawar will have the largest district council, comprising about 138 members, including 92 general, 31 women and five each for minorities, peasants/workers and youths, laid down in the second schedule of the proposed legislation.
Similarly, the newly-carved Torghar district will have the smallest district assembly comprising a total of 23 councillors, including 15 general seats, five seats for women, and one seat each for non-Muslims, youths and peasants/workers.
The proposed bill also states elections for members of village, neighbourhood, tehsil and district councils shall be held on the basis of adult franchise and joint electorates.
The law further states members on reserved seats in tehsil and district councils shall be elected through proportional representation system of political parties’ list of candidates on the basis of total number of general seats secured by each political party in the respective local council. This is similar to the current practice of elections on reserved seats for national and provincial legislatures.
The tehsil and district councils will serve as the electoral college for positions of nazim/naib nazim at district and tehsil levels. However, in the case of village and neighbourhood councils, the candidates securing the highest and second highest number of votes in the elections for general seats shall be elected as nazim or naib nazim, respectively.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2013.
The proposed draft of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Local Government (LG) bill for 2013 has increased the proportion of reserved seats for women in tehsil and district councils from 10 to 33%.
The 33% quota of reserved seats for women in elected bodies was first introduced under the local government system by former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf in 2001. However, the local government act of 2012 reduced this number to 10% for tehsil and district councils.
The 2001 act retained 5% seats for minorities and peasant workers but allocated the 5% provided to technocrats in 2012 to the youth in the proposed legislation. Section 16 of the K-P Local Government Act, 2012 provided 10% reserved seats for women in district and tehsil councils and 5% each for peasants/workers, non-Muslims and technocrats.
The draft of the LG bill for 2013 was introduced in the K-P Assembly during last week’s session. It has been referred to a select committee for further discussion and changes.
Under the new bill, village and neighbourhood councils will replace union councils. The grassroots level of local government will comprise 5 to 10 members, determined on the basis of population and elected seats. Two seats have been reserved for women and one seat each for peasants/workers, non-Muslims and youth. A reserved seat for youth on village and neighbourhood councils was non-existent in previous laws.
The proposed bill envisages a total of 1,540 seats including seats for women, non-Muslims, peasants/workers and youth across 25 districts of the province. Peshawar will have the largest district council, comprising about 138 members, including 92 general, 31 women and five each for minorities, peasants/workers and youths, laid down in the second schedule of the proposed legislation.
Similarly, the newly-carved Torghar district will have the smallest district assembly comprising a total of 23 councillors, including 15 general seats, five seats for women, and one seat each for non-Muslims, youths and peasants/workers.
The proposed bill also states elections for members of village, neighbourhood, tehsil and district councils shall be held on the basis of adult franchise and joint electorates.
The law further states members on reserved seats in tehsil and district councils shall be elected through proportional representation system of political parties’ list of candidates on the basis of total number of general seats secured by each political party in the respective local council. This is similar to the current practice of elections on reserved seats for national and provincial legislatures.
The tehsil and district councils will serve as the electoral college for positions of nazim/naib nazim at district and tehsil levels. However, in the case of village and neighbourhood councils, the candidates securing the highest and second highest number of votes in the elections for general seats shall be elected as nazim or naib nazim, respectively.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2013.