Sindh Assembly adopts local government bill
After this legislation, the provincial election commission will carry the delimitation process by prescribing limits of union councils, union committees, wards in municipal committees, town committees and corporations before holding the local government election.
“As per Article140 of the Constitution, it is the provincial government’s discretion to make the delimitation of union councils. But we are now handing over these powers to the election commission complying with the decision of the SC,” Sindh Law Minister Dr Sikandar Mandhro said while moving the Sindh local government amendment bill 2014.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah while briefing the session said his government had finished the delimitation process a few months ago and wanted to hold LG elections, but MQM and a few other parties challenged it which caused delays in holding the election.
As the bill was moved to make the law, a few members from the opposition raised objections for not providing them with copies of the bill.
“You are violating the rules of the assembly, the bill cannot be passed within a few minutes. The members of this August House should either be given two days or the bill should be referred to a standing committee to review it,” Pakistan Muslim League-Functional parliamentary leader Nand Kumar said.
Mandhro was of the view that the assembly, with the permission of the speaker, can relax the rules and pass the resolution.
“The apex court has given us a deadline of two days. We cannot wait for further deliberation on this minor amendment to the law which has already been passed with the consultation of various stakeholders in 2013,” Mandhro said.
Later, the speaker moved the bill in the house for which the assembly voted in favour of unanimously.
Earlier, MQM members had boycotted the session by submitting their application seeking the opposition seats inside the house.
“We have parted ways with the government and cannot sit on treasury benches,” MQM deputy parliamentary leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan said while leaving the house with 51 other members.
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@Jibran: CM Sindh is correct to state that his government has already done the delimitations which was challenged by MQM & others. So the reason for MQM boycott is not the delimitation by EC but keeping the vote bank intact for the forthcoming LG elections. Still I am unsure PP will ever hold the LG elections; that's not in line with its past track.
I believe local bodies elections to be held soon and this is the cause and not the delimitation.
@jibran the walkout was solely a reaction to the unprovoked speech by Bilawal Zardari. PPP submitted the resolution after the walkout and every newspaper reported it. Regarding delimitation it is unjustified to the population of Karachi to have 300,000 voters in one NA seat compare to 50,000 voters for rural sind. And same goes with local bodies constituencies. all this because they know MQM will always win Karachi Local bodies election, from the days of mayor Farooq Sattar to Mustafa Kamal regardless of Pukhtoon population where they come for work in karachi then go back to FATA, only minority of Pakhtoon brothers are permanent karachi resident. rahi baat PTI Ki, I have one question, why PTI did not even nominate a candidate for half of the karachi seats in 2013 election? anybody anybody?
It was not Bilawal Bhutto's speech, which infuriated MQM to stage walkout, but the matter of delimitation. Current delimitation was favored highly towards MQM by Musharraf. Any changes to that will reduce MQM's national and provincial influence due to the rise in Pukhtoon population as well as the popularity of PTI in urban areas.