PML-N moves court against LG Act

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) has challenged the Punjab Local Government Act, 2019 and likely dissolution of the incumbent local bodies in the Lahore High Court through a writ petition.

Ahmed Iqbal, chairman Zila council Narowal and son of former interior minister Ahsan Iqbal, has filed the petition, saying the Punjab Assembly passed the Punjab Local Government Bill, 2019 on Tuesday in hasty and arbitrary manner and it would formally become a law after the constitutional assent by Punjab governor. Resultantly, the existing local government institutions would be abolished and local bodies’ representatives would lose their positions. He points out that the local bodies were elected for a tenure of five years and couldn’t be dissolved before completion of their term. He said the abolition of existing local government system would be contempt of vote and voters as 60, 000 elected representatives across Punjab would be sent packing.

The petitioner pleads with the high court to direct the Punjab government to allow the incumbent local bodies to complete their term and annul the Punjab Local Government Act, 2019. Punjab Assembly on Tuesday passed Punjab Local Government Bill, 2019 and Punjab Panchayats and Neighbourhood Councils Bill, 2019 which would abolish the Punjab Local government Act 2013 and replace the existing local bodies with a new local government system.