Punjab government has formally started preparations for local government elections as Local Government Act 2025 has been introduced in Punjab Assembly, reported 24NewsHDTV channel.
Upon the approval of the bill, the elections of the chairman and vice-chairman of the union council will be held through a show of hands instead of a secret ballot. After the amendment, the party's chosen candidate and the one with the most councilors will win. Earlier, loyalties used to change.
The party will have the right to expel anyone who deviates from the decision. The district council will be abolished, a district authority will be formed, the deputy commissioner of each district will be the chairman. The Punjab Local Government Bill 2025 proposes to abolish the district council and form a district authority.
The chairman of each district authority will include members of the union council. The district health department, education department, social welfare department, population control, sports, transport, civil defense, public health engineering, arts and culture and tourism are included, which will get the status of district authority, the unit of local government will be union council, the entire district will be divided into local government units,there will be 9 general councilors of the Union Council, while there will be reserved seats for one woman councilor, one minority councilor, one youth councilor and one farmer or laborer. The chairman and vice-chairman of the Union Council will be elected by the elected members of the House. The Tehsil Council will have a chairman and two vice-chairmen.
Except for the reserved seats, the chairman of all union councils will be a member, in urban areas, there will be a town corporation with a mayor and two deputy mayors, all union councils, except for the reserved seats, will have a chairman, all cities except Murree will have a municipal corporation, the municipal committee will have a chairman and a vice chairman, the jurisdiction of the Town Corporation, Municipal Corporation, Municipal Committee and Tehsil Council will include water supply, sewage, drains, waste and sanitation, roads and streets, public transport system, fire brigade, street lights, parks, cemeteries, parking and playgrounds, slaughterhouses, municipal libraries, transport hubs, community and cultural and other matters.
The head of the local government will issue an economic development strategy, Union councils will also have the powers of arbitration councils in their respective areas, new rates of fines will be fixed, fine tickets will be issued for 43 different issues, the head of the local government will issue an economic development strategy, the union councils will also have the powers of arbitration councils in their respective areas, new rates of fines will be fixed, fine tickets will be issued for 43 different matters, a fine of Rs2,000 will be imposed for digging without permission, a fine of Rs 5,000 will be imposed for playing drums, playing music or making noise through other means near hospitals and schools in prohibited places, there will be a fine of Rs10,000 for using unapproved places for advertising campaigns, for spreading garbage, an industrial user will be fined Rs10,000, a commercial user Rs 5,000 and a domestic user Rs 2,000, a fine of Rs500 will be imposed for placing a cart without permission, court action will be taken for violation of 29 matters, cutting trees, keeping cattle for sale without permission and establishing a transport base are also included.
The bill has been referred to the relevant committee of the Punjab Assembly. The committee will present its report after two months.