LAHORE: The Lahore High Court on Monday allowed a week’s time to the Punjab government to come up with a plan for restoration of the local government system in the province in the light of a judgement passed by the Supreme Court.

Justice Ayesha A Malik was hearing a set of petitions seeking implementation of the SC judgement about restoration of local governments in the province.The provincial government has meanwhile notified constitution of four special committees/transition teams at provincial, divisional, district and tehsil level for the restoration of the local bodies’ institutions in line with the March 25 short order and subsequent detailed judgment issued by the Supreme Court on July 6.

Chief Secretary Jawad Rafiq Malik told the court that a committee formed to deliberate upon the SC judgement and the restoration of the LG system was scheduled to meet after Eid holidays and sought time to furnish a detailed reply.

The judge adjourned further hearing till July 28 and also allowed the government to use the LG funds through administrators to the extent of payments of salaries and pensions only. The judge warned the government against the use of the LG funds for any development scheme.

Transition teams notified, panels formed at lower level

Lahore city’s lord mayor retired Col Mubashir Javed and others had filed the petitions. They pleaded that the provincial government failed to restore the local governments despite the Supreme Court’s detailed judgement in the matter.

They said the failure of the government to implement the SC’s decision amounted to contempt of court.

The petitioners asked the court to initiate contempt proceedings against the provincial government.

On March 25, a three-judge bench of the SC, through a short order, had ordered restoration of local bodies in the province after declaring their dissolution as unconstitutional.

TRANSITION: The government has also notified functions of the committees for a smooth transition and revival of the local governments under the Punjab Local Government Act-2013.

According to notifications issued by the local government & community development department, the provincial transition committee will be headed by the LG special secretary. It will consist of the Punjab Local Government Board secretary [as the secretary of the committee] and representatives of regulation wing of S&GAD, finance and law & parliamentary affairs departments as members besides any other member co-opted by the members of the committee.

The divisional teams headed by the commissioners will comprise deputy commissioners, additional commissioners (coordination), local government director (secretary) and any other co-opted member.

Similarly, the district teams will be headed by deputy commissioners and comprise deputy director of local government (secretary) and heads and opposition leaders of restored local governments (except union councils), additional deputy commissioners, chief officers as members besides any other member co-opted by the team.

The tehsil teams will be led by the assistant commissioners and consist of chairmen/persons and secretaries of the restored union councils, assistant director (local government) and any other members co-opted jointly be the committee. All the committees constituted and notified have been directed to immediately start work under their respective terms of reference.

Under the TORs, the provincial teams will be liable to vet and recommend the proposed plan for their submissions to the government for approval, supervise divisional transition teams in performance of the assigned functions, coordinate with divisional teams and provincial departments, redress grievances raised on the decisions of divisional teams and perform any other duty assigned by the government/ department.

The divisional teams will be responsible to review, recommend and forward transition plan of each district and tehsils to the provincial team for final approval, monitor distribution of assets, liabilities and employees amongst local governments and offices of provincial government, supervise district transition teams in performance of the assigned functions, coordinate with the tehsil, district and provincial teams and do any other task entrusted by the provincial team/government.

The district teams have been entrusted with the task to prepare an inventory of assets, liabilities and employees of the local governments in districts, prepare a draft of transitional plan and submit to the divisional teams for approval, assist the divisional teams in various works, distribute assets, liabilities and employees amongst the local governments after approval of the transition plans by the government and any other job assigned by the divisional teams.

The TORs of the tehsil teams include preparation of inventory of all assets, liabilities, and employees and distribution of the same amongst the union councils, draft transitional plans and assist the district teams.

“The court, in an ongoing contempt petition filed by the petitioners against the government, has also sought an action plan for restoration of the local bodies’ institutions as soon as possible. Hopefully, the government will soon submit it to the court on next date of hearing after Eid,” a senior official told Dawn when contacted.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2021