LG system dissolved: DCs posted as administrators in Punjab

LAHORE: Punjab government has approved the appointment of deputy commissioners as administrators rather than giving the charge to commissioners, a day after the local government system stands dissolved in the province, ARY NEWS reported.

The approval was given by Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar who approved a summary presented by the local government department. After the approval, the commissioners will only play a supervisory role in the province.

Moreover, the deputy directors of local government will be given the responsibility of administrators of 247 union councils.

Yesterday, it was reported by ARY NEWS that the deputy commissioners will be given powers in the new setup rather than the commissioners.

“There is a proposal of appointing deputy commissioners as administrators in nine districts of the province,” they said adding that the DCs would be empowered for the implementation on the Local government act 2021.

Moreover, sources further shared that the provincial cabinet committee has proposed appointing deputy commissioners in 36 districts as administrators.

The Punjab government has the authority to exercise its powers and appoint the DCs as administrators of the districts, contrary to 2019 when commissioners were given charges as administrators after the dissolution of local government.

The local government system in Punjab was restored in October this year after the provincial government submitted a notification in this regard to the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has previously announced that the local bodies elections in the Punjab province would be held in the month of March 2022.