LAHORE: The Punjab local government department on Tuesday barred heads and deputies of all the elected local bodies from intervening in or influencing the general elections in any manner, warning them of legal action under the law, otherwise.

The development funds of the local councils have already been frozen under direction from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) since May 31 so as to prevent them from using the public money in favour of any candidate. The councils are allowed only to spend funds on providing basic services to people like sanitation, water supply and streetlights.

An overwhelming majority of the heads of local bodies and their members belong to the PML-N under whose government their election was held in 2016. There have been allegations that these representatives are influencing the general elections in favour of their party’s candidates.

PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi demanded suspension of the local governments in view of these allegation only on Monday.

DCs authorised to take action against violators

The provincial government has also directed all its employees working in districts to refrain from influencing the general elections in any manner in favour of any candidate, otherwise they would be proceeded against under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability Act (PEEDA), 2006. This means dismissal from the service.

Local Government Secretary Arif Anwar Baloch, who is provincial government’s focal person for the 2018 general elections, told Dawn that instructions had been issued under the ECP direction, and after reports suggesting intervention of the heads and members of the local councils in the election process in favour of the political parties they were affiliated to.

The circular draws attention of all mayors, deputy mayors, chairmen, vice-chairmen, of the Lahore Metropolitan Corporation, district councils, municipal corporations, municipal committees and unions councils to Section 18 of the Code of Conduct notified by the ECP under Section 233 of the Election Act 2017, that disallows their participation in the electioneering or any assistance in this regard.

The notification directs them under Section 4 of the Punjab Local Government Act 2013 to refrain from becoming a party to the general elections, otherwise they would face legal action under the law.

Officials said a cell had been established in the local government department to receive complaints against the elected members of the local councils or district level officials of the Punjab government found directly or indirectly supporting any candidate or political party.

Mr Baloch said the cell had already started receiving complaints. The complaints against officials of education, health, police and revenue departments were being referred to their administrative heads for action, he added.

He said the local government and the finance departments had stopped development funds of the local councils to prevent their misuse.

Meanwhile, it has been learnt that the deputy commissioners have been authorised under ECP direction to impose a fine of Rs50,000 on a candidate for violation of the election Code of Conduct in the first instance.

The DC is authorised to move for the disqualification of the candidate in case of a second violation.

Published in Dawn, June 27th, 2018