LAYYAH, July 30: The district council has rejected the annual budget submitted by the district coordination officer (DCO) and re-approved the budget it had already approved on July 24.

After a row on budget with the district administration, the district nazim presented and got approved 2008-09 annual budget on July 24 and sent the document to the DCO, who is principal accounts officer of the district, for onward transmission and further approval from the local government department secretary.

The DCO wrote a letter No EA/7814 dated July 28, 2008 to the district nazim that the Finance and Planning (F&P) EDO had not himself forwarded any draft for presentation before the council. If any rough draft allegedly obtained from an assistant of the office of EDO (F&P), and after making certain alterations in its figures, was presented before the council, it cannot be termed legal. Though the district nazim is to present the budget before the council, the procedure is to be followed as given in Rule 57 of the Punjab District Government and TMA Budget Rules, 2003, and the July 24 budget meeting was unlawful by all means, the letter added.

The district council, however, in its meeting on Wednesday examined the report of the chairman of the house committee on accounts and budget and rejected the budget submitted by the DCO through letter No 7819 dated July 28, 2008 by a majority of 36 votes of the 59-member house and re-approved the budget presented by the district nazim on July 24. —Correspondent