Punjab govt issues amendment to hold local body elections on party basis
Punjab Law Department on Saturday issued the notification of an Amendment Ordinance in the Local Bodies Act 2013..
LHC had termed Section 18 of the Punjab Local Government Act 2013 ‘void and ultra vires to the constitution’. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
LAHORE:
Two days after the Lahore High Court passed an order directing the Punjab government to amend its laws on the upcoming local body elections, the Punjab Law Department issued a notification of an Amendment Ordinance that allowed local body elections to be contested on party basis, Radio Pakistan reported.
The Punjab Law Department on Saturday issued the notification of an Amendment Ordinance in the Local Bodies Act 2013 in Lahore.
The court had on Thursday ordered the Punjab government to revisit its recently passed Punjab Local Government Act 2013 and make amendments so that local bodies’ election are held on political party basis, declaring Section 18 of the Act ‘void and ultra vires to the constitution’.
Section 18 reads: “…election of members of all local governments shall be held on non-party basis, through secret ballot on the basis of adult franchise in such manner as may be prescribed.”
While the division bench upheld the petitions filed against provisions of the Punjab Local Bodies Act 2013, it dismissed those challenging the power of the Punjab government to carry out delimitation before the elections.
Two days after the Lahore High Court passed an order directing the Punjab government to amend its laws on the upcoming local body elections, the Punjab Law Department issued a notification of an Amendment Ordinance that allowed local body elections to be contested on party basis, Radio Pakistan reported.
The Punjab Law Department on Saturday issued the notification of an Amendment Ordinance in the Local Bodies Act 2013 in Lahore.
The court had on Thursday ordered the Punjab government to revisit its recently passed Punjab Local Government Act 2013 and make amendments so that local bodies’ election are held on political party basis, declaring Section 18 of the Act ‘void and ultra vires to the constitution’.
Section 18 reads: “…election of members of all local governments shall be held on non-party basis, through secret ballot on the basis of adult franchise in such manner as may be prescribed.”
While the division bench upheld the petitions filed against provisions of the Punjab Local Bodies Act 2013, it dismissed those challenging the power of the Punjab government to carry out delimitation before the elections.