Opposition parties criticise PTI for not getting the bill approved yet. PHOTO: FILE
The local government department on Thursday briefed the select committee on the draft of the Local Government Bill, 2013 following the Supreme Court’s orders to hold local body elections.
The committee meeting was chaired by Minister for Local Government Inayatullah Khan. He said the committee will present the bill in the assembly through an ordinance, adding the provincial government is keen on consulting all political parties on the matter.
He also said members of the select committee discussed the draft bill and agreed to speed up the process in order to present the bill in the ongoing assembly session.
“The PTI government initially said in court it was ready to hold elections, but they were proved wrong,” ANP leader Mian Iftikhar Hussain told The Express Tribune, questioning the ruling coalition’s resolve. He said the PTI government should have held local government elections under the previous act, adding PTI leaders were still in disagreement over the bill and the select committee is yet to approve it.
The former information minister said the bill was prepared by one party, whereas it was previously formulated by the government.
ANP parliamentary leader Sardar Hussain Babak also said they were not satisfied with the new village council setup, non-party based elections and powers of the chief minister. He claimed the bill empowers the chief minister to remove nazims arbitrarily.
Babak, a member of the select committee, alleged the ruling government was not interested in holding local government elections.
During a hearing on local government elections, Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry earlier said the provincial government will have to face legal action if the polls in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) are not held on time.
The provincial government, however, sought more time from the Supreme Court in order to make necessary arrangements for the elections.
On offer
The draft of the LG bill for 2013 was introduced in the K-P Assembly earlier this month. It was then referred to the select committee for further discussion and changes.
Under the new bill, village and neighbourhood councils will replace union councils. The grass-roots 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 seats, 31 seats for women and five each for minorities, peasants/workers and youth, 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.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 25th, 2013.
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