Sindh governor decided not to sign Sindh LG amendment bill: sources

KARACHI: Sindh Governor Imran Ismail has decided not to sign the local government (LG) amendment bill once again following the political parties’ reservations, citing sources, ARY News reported on Monday.

Sources privy to the development told ARY News that the governor has decided not to sign Sindh Local Government (LG) Amendment Bill 2021. It may be noted here that the Sindh government had made more amendments to the LG bill following the objections raised by the governor.

Sources said that all opposition and other political parties have expressed serious reservations over the amended LG laws.

The governor had received the LG amendment bill for its approval on December 14.

Earlier on December 4, Governor Sindh Imran Ismail had rejected the Sindh Local Government (amendment) bill 2021 and returned it to the Sindh Assembly for reconsideration while raising 10 objections.

While raising objections on the bill, the governor had said that the Sindh local government amendment bill was against article 140 of the Constitution that empowers the grass root level of the government.

He had pointed out the elimination of the district municipal corporations and replacing them with the town system saying that it would create an administrative issue.

Governor Sindh had also objected to the secret balloting for the election of mayor, saying that it could lead to horse-trading in the entire process.

Imran Ismail had pointed out an anomaly in schedule 5 of the local government act and said that the lack of authority for municipal authorities to collect tax on non-transferable property will lead to a financial crisis for the municipal councils.

The Sindh Assembly on November 26 unanimously passed Sindh Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2021. Sindh Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Hussian Shah presented the bill in the provincial assembly.