Appointment of Village Officer
Number of Headmen:
According to Rule 16 of West Pakistan Rules 1968:
I. Sufficient number:
A sufficient number of headmen shall be appointed to every estate, and this number when once fixed shall not be increased or reduced.
Exception:
It can be increased and reduced by or under the order of the Commissioner
II. Estate owned by Government:
If an estate or a considerable portion thereof is owned by Government, the headman may be appointed from among the tenants and in other estates he shall be appointed from among the land-owners.
III. Uncultivated or Forest Estate:
The lessee of an uncultivated or forest estate owned by Government, shall, during the currency of this lease, be the headman thereof.
Matter to be considered in the first appointment:
According to Rule 17 of WPR 1968
In the first appointment of headman (Lambardar), following matters shall be considered and the maximum marks to be assigned against each item are as under:
(a) Hereditary claim of the candidate Maximum Marks30
i. First blood 30 Marks
ii. Second blood 15 Marks
(b) Candidate’s community in the estate or subdivision of the estate for which appointment is to be made. Maximum Marks 30
(i) Overwhelming majority 30Marks
(ii) Second largest majority 15 Marks
(c) Extent of property of the candidate in the estate or sub-division of the estate for which appointment is to be made. Maximum Marks 10
(i) Five acres or more 10 Marks
(ii) Less than five acres 05 Marks
(d) Educational qualifications of the candidate. Maximum Marks 10
(i) Secondary School Certificate, Equivalent or above 10 Marks
(ii) Literate i.e. able to read and write Urdu 05 Marks
(e) Personal character, ability and influence of the candidate and his freedom from indebtedness. Maximum Marks 10
(f) Quality of farming of the candidate in the revenue estate
Maximum Marks 10
Appointment Procedure:
17 (2) On receipt of a proposal regarding the appointment of a headman from the Tehsildar, the Collector shall hold “Ijlas-e-Aam” in the Revenue Estate and submit to the District Collector his report and recommendations concerning each item under sub-rule (1) and the marks awarded to each candidate.
(3) On receipt of a report and recommendations of the collector, the District Collector shall give an opportunity of hearing to all the candidates, give his own findings on the report and recommendations of the Collector and pass orders regarding selection of the candidate keeping in view the marks obtained by each candidate according to the criteria laid down in sub-rule (1)
Dismissal of headmen:
According to Rule 18 of WPR 1968
1. A headman shall be dismissed when;
a). he has been, on conviction for an offence involving moral turpitude, sentenced to imprisonment for a term of not less than six months;
b). in an estate owned altogether or chiefly by Government, he ceases to possess the interest which led to his appointment;
c).in any other estate, he ceases to be a land-owner in the estate or sub-division of the estate, in respect of which he holds office;
d). he has mortgaged his holding and has delivered possession of the holding to the mortgage;
provided that in special cases the collector may, with the Commissioner's sanction, retain him in his office, if he can furnish adequate security for the payment of the revenue he has to collect and for the due discharge of his duties;
e). his holding has been transferred under section 84 or the assessment thereof has been annulled under section.86.
2. A headman may dismissed when:
a). any criminal proceeding which have taken against him show that he is unfit to be entrusted any longer with the duties of a headman;
b). he is seriously embarrassed by debt, or if his unencumbered holding is so small as to disqualify him, in the Collector's opinion, for the responsibilities of a headman;
c). owing to age or physical or mental incapacity, or absence from the estate, he is unable to discharge his duties;
d). there is reason to believe that he has taken part in, or concealed illicit distillation, or the smuggling of food grains, cocaine, opium or chars;
e). he takes part in any unconstitutional against the Government or fails to give his active support to the Government in the maintenance of law and order;
f). he neglects to discharge his duties, or is otherwise shown to be incompetent;
g). the estate or sub-division thereof, in respect of which he holds office; or his own holding is attached, either for an arrear of land revenue or by order of any Court.