PESHAWAR, Sept 13: New rules, promulgated by the governor last month, give sweeping powers to the NWFP Local Government Commission (LGC) to monitor and control the affairs of local bodies.

An official told Dawn that the NWFP Local Government Commission (Conduct of Business) Rules, 2007, enabled the provincial government for the first time to make elected representatives accountable for their conduct vis-à-vis institutionalising the functions of the LGC.

The new rules, he said, authorised the commission to conduct annual and special inspections, hold an inquiry and settle a dispute between local governments.

The LGC will have the powers of the civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, and when an offence is committed, it can forward to a magistrate the case for trying under section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure Code, 1898.

Likewise, the LGC, any member or members or an authorised officer, while conducting an inquiry, annual and special inspection, audit or resolving any dispute, will have the power to require any person to furnish information that may be useful in the investigation.

Under the new rules, the chairman, a member or members or an officer authorised by the commission for carrying out annual and special inspection, audit, inquiry or resolving any dispute may enter any premises for inspection.

Similarly, the official said, the commission could inspect a place where work was being carried out by or under the supervision of a local government.

Moreover, he said, the LGC could issue an interim order or directions in any investigation pending before it.