LAHORE – The Punjab government has started the process of abolishing top revenue posts in districts and tehsils across the province, Pakistan Today has learnt. According to details, there are a total of 36 executive district officers (EDO) revenue and DO (R) posts in all districts, while nearly 140 deputy district officers (DDO) (R) are working across all tehsils of Punjab.
The provincial government has already initiated the “downsizing” drive and slashed various posts in grades and task forces across the province. The move was part of the ongoing austerity drive across Punjab to save maximum funds. Senior officers, seeking anonymity, said that the current move of abolishing the district hierarchy of revenue officers is actually part of the ongoing government effort to revive the magistracy system in the province.
The Punjab government has already written to the Inter Provincial Coordination Committee (IPCC) of the federal government to take up the matter, as amendments in the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) are needed to revive the old system of magistracy. The federal government could alone amend the CrPC, a prerequisite for provinces to revive the magistracy system. Moreover, the IPCC also held a meeting on Thursday in Islamabad in this regard.
“Once the IPCC decides on the issue, it will be referred to the federal cabinet, which after passing it, would direct provinces to make necessary legal amendments to revive the magistracy system,” a government official said. According to sources, powers of the EDO (R) would be transferred to divisional commissioners, while the decision is yet to be taken regarding revenue powers in tehsils.
This hierarchy was created and introduced through the Punjab Local Government Ordinance (PLGO) 2001 replacing old assistant and deputy commissioners. But after assuming power the incumbent CM revived the posts of commissioners, while the current move would give powers of revenue in districts back to commissioners.
