LAHORE - As the local government elections are scheduled to be held in September this year on the directions of Supreme Court, the Punjab government has moved ahead to finalize its preparations to repeal PLGO 2001 in wake of PLGA 2013, it has been learnt.
Official sources disclosed this paper that the issue was discussed in third of the series of meetings by the Provincial Transition Team (PTT) to firm up new district administration setup in Punjab. The PTT also constituted a sub-committee entrusted with a mandate to consider models adopted by other provinces and insertion of provisions in Land Revenue Act 1967.
Official sources told The Nation that the PTT’ sub-committee would examine the draft law for district administration in the wake of repeal of PLGO 2001. The committee would comprise Additional Chief Secretary, Secretaries to LG, Home, Services, Law and Irrigation departments. The committee will also consider by laws for the new district administration set up.
The PTT further decided that Local Government department shall place the proposed organogram of all tiers of local governments to be established under PLGA 2013 soon before it for further consideration. In order to finalize the parameters for distribution of Assets and Liabilities amongst the successor local governments, authorities and offices of provincial governments to be retrieved, the PTT decided that the sub-committee constituted under the supervision of Special Secretary Finance would place its recommendations in this regard.
It was also decided that the Secretaries of Education and Health departments would intimate the PTT on draft of Punjab District Authorities Rules already sent to them by LG department and place the same before the PTT that would finalize the composition of the district health and education authorities.
Sources further told that the issue of monitoring the progress of consequential amendments in the wake of repeal of PLGO 2001 also came under discussion. The chair decided that the concerned administrative secretaries would complete the exercise of consequential legislation in the respective laws and rules and forward them to the law department for further consideration. In case no amendment is required, they would forward a certificate in this regard.
It is relevant to mention here that the Punjab Assembly has already passed the Punjab Local Government Bill 2013. An officer of the Local Government department told this scribe that the Punjab Local Government Act (PLGA) 2013 would push the province back to local bodies system of Ziaul Haq’s era. The old law was framed to strengthen bureaucracy rather than elected representatives of the local governments. He said that the PLGA 2013 would once again strengthen the provincial government rather the local government. Citing PLGA 2013’s clause 119 sub-section 3, he said the government may, on the recommendation of the Local Government Commission, suspend a Mayor or Chairman. He added that it was like the powers of the president previously held by him under notorious article-58 2- b of the constitution.
Moreover, he said under PLGA 2013 clause 102 sub-section 3, the provincial government has the power to review the approved budget of local government, which was another interference into autonomy of the local governments.