Title: Non-partisan local govt polls unconstitutional: PHC
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The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday declared that the decision to hold the Neighbourhood and Village Council elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on a non-partisan basis was unconstitutional.
The high court announced this decision in a short ruling while hearing pleas filed by the opposition politicians against the K-P government.
Akram Khan Durrani of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), Inayatullah Khan and Mushtaq Ahmad Khan of Jamaat-e-Islami and Khushdal Khan, Himayatullah Mayar had filed a petition against the local government election.
The PHC directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to take necessary steps to hold party-based elections. Following the ruling of the high court, it seemed the local government elections in K-P will be delayed as the provincial government has sought time to mull over the decision.
The ECP, which had contacted the K-P government after the ruling, had said that it will make a decision regarding the election schedule after consultations with the government.
Read K-P local govt minister removed from cabinet
Additionally, the government has also restored the accounts of local bodies under the Local Government Act 2013. On the directions of Local Government Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal, guidelines pertaining to the accounts’ operations were issued to the chief officers.
According to a spokesperson of the local government, the competent officers will be responsible for transferring the funds – currently in accounts established under the 2019 Act – to the accounts created under the 2013 Act. These transfers will be made via cross cheques.
All local government revenue, PFC shares, tax shares would be transferred to bank accounts established under the 2013 Act on an immediate basis.
The bank account opened under the Local Government Act 2019 will cease to function. However, payments for employees' salaries, pensions, electricity bills, petrol and other expenses will continue as routine.
Published Date: 02-Nov-2021
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