From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Punjab governor Muhammad Balighur Rahman on Sunday promulgated the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Ordinance 2023 and the Punjab Agricultural Marketing Regulatory Ordinance Authority (Amendment) Ordinance 2023.
The governor promulgated the first ordinance as the Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPc) brought legal complications. It was not practically possible to immediately refer every case to the Cabinet in urgency.
Promulgation of the Amendment Ordinance has eased the enforcement of Section 144 (Criminal Procedure Code) in emergency situations by removing legal complications. Under the Amendment Ordinance, the Deputy Commissioner or any other officer specially empowered by the Punjab government would be authorized to issue orders under Section 144 in urgent cases.
Per the provisions of the Punjab Agricultural Marketing Regulatory Authority Amendment Ordinance, the provisions of the Punjab Agricultural Marketing Regulatory Authority Act, 2018 didn’t cater to immediate termination of politically appointed persons in the PAMRA and market committees.
Through this amendment ordinance, in the light of the directives of the Election Commission, the persons appointed on political grounds in the boards of the Punjab Agricultural Marketing Regulatory Authority and Market Companies would be dismissed immediately.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had directed to ensure immediate termination of services of all heads of the institutions appointed on political basis and to send their lists to the Commission. The ordinance has been proposed in order to comply with the directions of the electoral watchdog.
