| শিরোনাম | সূত্র | তারিখ |
| 'মৌলিক গণতন্ত্র আইন' ঘোষিত | পাকিস্তান অবজারভার | ২৭ অক্টোবর, ১৯৫৯ |
BASIC DEMOCRACIES ORDER PROMULGATED
Adult Franchise for Council Polls
Fundamentals of Five Tiers Explained.
Karachi, Oct. 26.- “The basic democracies Order. 1959" was promulgated today by the President “To provide for the constitution of basic democratic institutions throughout Pakistan and to consolidate and amend certain laws relating to local Government."
The first article (short title, extent and commencement) and article III (Definitions) come into force at once and the remaining provisions of the Order come into force “In such areas on such dates as the Government may, by notification in the official Gazette, appoint in this behalf."
The Order extends to the whole of Pakistan but “should be circumstances of any local areas be such that any of the provisions of the Order are unsuited thereto Government may accept the local areas or any part thereof, from the operations of those provisions." While such exception remains in force, Government may make rules for the regulation of the matters so excepted....
The Order provides for the Constitution of basic democratic institutions ranging from Union Councils to the Provincial Development Advisory Councils. It lays down that elections to Union Councils (In Rural Areas); Town Committees (For Town) and Union Committees for urban areas shall be held on the basis of adult Franchise.
The total number of appointed members of a Union Council (rural areas) “shall not be more than one-half of the total number of its elected members" and no official shall be a member of a Union Council. Union Committee or Town Committee.
Except within the jurisdiction of the municipal bodies or Cantonment Boards at Karachi, Dacca and Lahore the number of elected and appointed members in Union or Town Committee as the case may be, determined by the commissioner of the division concerned. In Karachi, Dacca and Lahore the number of elected and appointed members will be determined by the Government.
Village Police Force.
Government may establish a village police force in such rural areas as may be notified from time to time for discharge of duties specified in the third schedule with the village Kotwal as its head with powers going up to arresting “without an order from a Magistrate and without a warrant" any person concerned in any cognizable offence.
