Amendments to cantonment act stressed to meet demands of modern era

Rawalpindi : The voters and supporters have demanded to provide financial and administrative powers to elected representatives in Cantonment Board elections to resolve public related issues. They are seeking to amend the Cantonment Boards Act 1924 otherwise these elections would be fruitless particularly for the public by all means in this regard.

The contesting candidates also demanded to provide the financial and administrative powers adding that the act had been formulated by the British authorities to govern cantonments before the partition of the Indian Sub-Continent but the law was carried on in the new republics formed. The amendments in the cantonment act were necessary to meet the demands of the modern era, they demanded.

The contesting candidates also pointed out that the federal government had already introduced a new law for local government in Islamabad. With the cantonment boards also falling under the federal government, they were of the view that the centre needs to make the necessary amendments whereby they can enjoy the same powers as their counterparts in the district councils and mayors of corporations across the country.

They have demanded of the federal government to provide them with financial grants such as those mayors and chairpersons receive to carry out development work in their respective areas. But, they could not do anything for their voters even after winning elections.

People belonging to different walks of life who were not interested in Cantonment Board elections told ‘The News’ how elected representatives would resolve their issues without administrative powers. Without financial and administrative powers, these elections would be called ‘dummy’ elections, they said. They said that it was a drama to fool innocent public. The Station Commander enjoys all financial and administrative powers while elected representatives could not do anything without his will, people said.