Selection of LB councillors on reserved seats rejected

Islamabad
Umm-e-Kalsoom, national president of the Women's Councillors Network, a representative body of former female councillors, has asked the Punjab government to hold local government elections for five reserved seats of women, minorities, workers and youth directly and candidates should not be left at the mercy of directly elected general councillors, chairperson and vice-chairperson.
Talking to this scribe at the Pattan office, she said that this way not only the process of election has been converted into a virtual selection where almost 40 per cent members will be nominated which happens nowhere in the world. It also goes against the manifesto of the ruling PML-N which says "PML-N is fully committed to devolve political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority to elected representatives of local governments, under Article 140-A of the Constitution, adopted under the 18th Amendment. Local Government Elections shall be held within six months of general elections."
She lamented that Rs280 million deposited by candidates in abortive LB elections in 2013 had not been returned and the Election Commission of Pakistan is asking for paying the fees afresh.
Ms Kalsoom said that the selection is equivalent to disenfanchising the electorate.
It may be mentioned that for the elections of reserved seats in National and provincial assemblies and Senate is also undemocratic where a vacant seat is filled in at the whims of party leader of a political party as per electoral strength of the party. Some cases challenging the electoral process in assemblies and Senate are waiting verdict of superior judiciary.
The WCN head said that councillors, minorities, workers and youth would start a campaign if the government did not rectify the rules.
Sarwar Bari, national coordinator of the Pattan Development Organisation, speaking on the occasion, said that indirectly selected members of union councils would be only answerable to their selecting members instead of the electorate and will not serve the local people.