'Uphill task as Punjab finalises 21 draft laws

LAHORE As part of adaptation of laws in the wake of the omission of Concurrent Legislative List from the Constitution, so far the Punjab government has finalised 21 draft laws of four departments, while the rest, out of the 57 possible subjects, are in the process of being amended. Sources claim that the remaining departments are in the process of furthering the proposed amendments to Law and Parliamentary Department, which will further forward it to the legislative committee. After the approval of the committee, the proposed amendments will finally be submitted with the Punjab Assembly Secretariat for legislation, of course, after a nod from the Chief Minister himself and his cabinet. After the process mentioned above, these will be presented in the Assembly as amendment bills. This is part of the process for which the Punjab Government is currently gearing itself up to adopt 39 different heads, with 47 sub-subjects, which have been devolved to the provincial government after the passage of the 18th Amendment. The provincial administrative secretaries, it may be noted, have already met with federal officers, sent by the Establishment Division, and discussed with them the devolved subjects. The govt is in the process of adopting the changes, but it is certainly a huge task ahead since a lot of work is yet to be done, said an officer, who was of the considered opinion that it would take time since the legislation would be also done in the due course, which is actually not pretty expeditious at the provincial Assembly. Due to this, the provincial Law Department has to do the maximum job since criminal law and procedure, Civil procedure, Arbitration, Contracts, including partnership, agency, contracts of carriage, and other special forms of contracts, but not including contracts relating to agricultural land, Trusts and trustees, Transfer of property other than agriculture land, registration of deeds and documents, and records of judicial proceedings besides other subjects, fall under its ambit. As per sources, so far of the Agriculture Department, the committee has approved Agriculture Pesticides Ordinance 1971, and Amendments acts of 1992 and 1997, while the Punjab Seed Act 1976 is to be submitted to the Cabinet. After approval by the committee, Publication of Holy Quran (Elimination of Printing and Recording Errors) Act 1973 fall under the Auqaf Department it has been introduced by the standing committee. The Board of Revenue has been comparatively quick since so far it has completed work on 13 subjects. The introduction of the Trust Act 1882, the Transfer of Property Act 1882 and the Partition Act 1906 is pending after approval from the committee. Another six Acts, that is, the Registration 1913, the Hindu Disposition of Property 1916, the Provincial Insolvency 1920, the Charitable and Religious Trusts 1920, the Hindu Law Inheritance (Removal of Disabilities) 1928 and the Hindu Law of Inheritance (Amendment) have been approved by the committee. On the other hand, the Settlement Commissioner (Validation of Orders) Act 1972, the Hindu Gains of Learning Act 1930 and the Evacuee Trust Property and Displaced Persons Law (Repeal) Act 1975 have been vetted by the Law Department and forwarded for the next consideration. Whereas BoRs the Protection of Communal Properties of Minorities ordinance 2001 has been also vetted by the Law Department. Of the Health Department, drafts of two Acts Epidemic Diseases 1958 and Injured Persons (Medical Aid) 2004 and Protection of Breast-feeding and Child Nutrition Ordinance 2002 have been approved by the committee.