ISLAMABAD: July 25,2023: The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) and Pakistan People Party (PPP) are at odds for the second time in 24 hours . Now both are at loggerhead on proposed amendments in Section 230 of the Election Act.
A couple of days ago , both parties had traded barbs on pitching of the name of Ishaq Dar for caretaker prime minister .
Tiff between two key parties of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) can delay passing of amended Election Act ,2023. Amendments in the section 230 are highly treacherous . The original section 230 restricted the caretaker to their role of only performing day-to-day functioning of the governance . But the proposed amendments in section 230 provide indefinite authority which is tantamount to empower caretakers to rule like an elected government . The proposed amendments in section 230 strengthen doubts that some forces want to bring the caretakers for indefinite period. Following is the content of existing section of the Election Act. Functions of caretaker Government.under section 230— (1) A caretaker Government shall—
(a) perform its functions to attend to day-to-day matters which are necessary to run the
affairs of the Government;
(b) assist the Commission to hold elections in accordance with law;
(c) restrict itself to activities that are of routine, non-controversial and urgent, in the
public interest and reversible by the future Government elected after the elections;
and
(d) be impartial to every person and political party.
(2) The caretaker Government shall not—
(a) take major policy decisions except on urgent matters;
(b) take any decision or make a policy that may have effect or pre-empt the exercise of
authority by the future elected Government;
(c) enter into major contract or undertaking if it is detrimental to public interest;
(d) enter into major international negotiation with any foreign country or international
agency or sign or ratify any international binding instrument except in an exceptional make promotions or major appointments of public officials but may make acting or
short term appointments in public interest;
(f) transfer public officials unless it is considered expedient and after approval of the
Commission; and
(g) attempt to influence the elections or do or cause to be done anything which may, in
any manner, influence or adversely affect the free and fair elections.
(3) The Prime Minister, Chief Minister or a Minister or any other members of a Caretaker
Governments shall, within three days from the date of assumption of office, submit to the Commission a
statement of assets and liabilities including assets and liabilities of his spouse and dependent children as on
the preceding 30th day of June on Form B and the Commission shall publish the statement of assets and
liabilities in the official Gazette.
(4) In this section, ‘caretaker Government’ means the caretaker Federal Government or a
caretaker Provincial Government.