Acting Chief Election Commissioner Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar has revealed that the four-fold increase in fees for the third phase of local government elections had been made by the National Reconstruction Bureau NRB and the Election Commission task was to implement this decision.
However, the NRB has held provincial governments responsible for the increase.
Talking to Ladies Councillors Network and representatives of Patan Development Organisation here on Saturday, Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar said that the Election Commission had no role in enhancing the fee structure. He said the decision had been taken by the NRB and the EC had to implement it.
Deputy Chairman of the NRB Inamul Haq said the bureau had not increase the fee and added that it might be decision of the provincial government. He said the bureau was against any increase in the fee structure for the LG polls.
Later, the Rawalpindi Ladies Councillor Network and representative of the Patan Development Organisation, an NGO, staged protest demo before Election Commission and NRB building against the increase. They demanded immediate withdrawal of the increase terming it was unjustified.
The demonstration was led by president Punjab Ladies Councillors Shafqat Taqqi and president of the Rawalpindi Ladies Councillors Network Sumaira Gul.
They said that the fee for Lady Councillor Town had been increased from one thousand rupees to three thousand rupees. Similarly the fee for District Lady Councillor from Rs 1500 to Rs 6000.
The protesters warned that if the government didn't take back the decision of increase in fee for ladies and minorities councillors, they would continue protesting.
Comments
Comments are closed.