(i) District:

A district notified under the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1967 (W.P. XVII of 1967) and includes a large urban district or districts declared to be City District under the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001:

(ii) District Government:

A district government consisting of Administrator and District Administration as provided in Section 13 of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001,

(iii) Administrator:

It has the same meaning as defined in Chapter-III of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001.

(iv) District Police Officer(DPO):

An officer who is Head of the District Police Office, appointed by the Government.

(v) District Administration:

Comprises the District Offices, including Sub Offices of the departments of the Government decentralized to the District Government and other offices setup by the District Government and grouped under the Executive District Officers and coordinated by the District Coordination Officer.

(vi) District Coordination Officer(DCO):

An officer appointed in a District under Section 28 of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance; 2001.

(vii) Executive District Officer:

An officer who heads a group of offices, other than the District Coordination Group of Offices, under Section 27(2) of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001.

(viii) District Officer:

An officer who heads a district office under Section 27(3) of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001.

(xi) Groups of Offices:

The groups of offices listed in Part-C of the First Schedule of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001.

(x) Local Fund:

A fund established under Section 107 of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001.

(xi) Local Tax:

A tax levied by Zila Council under Section 116 of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001.

(xii) Provincial Local Government Commission:

Commission appointed by the Government under 131 of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001.

(xiii) Rules:

The Punjab District Government Rules of Business, 2001.

(xiv) Zila Council:

Has the same meaning as defined in Chapter-IV of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001.

Allocation of Business:

(1) The District Administration shall consist of Group of District Offices per Schedule-I.

(2) The business of District Government shall be distributed amongst groups of district offices in the manner indicated in Schedule-II.

Organization of District Offices

(1) Each Group of district offices shall consist of an Executive District Officer (EDO) and such other officials as the Government may determine.

(2) The EDO, shall, by means of a standing order, distribute the work among the officers, branches and/or sections of each district office.

Functions of the Administrator

(1) The Administrator shall:

(a) Be the head of District Government;

(b) Be responsible for co-ordination of all policy matters;

(c) Perform other functions assigned under the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001;

(d) Have the powers to call for any case or information from any district office;

(e) Communicate to the Government all matters related to local taxation;

(f) Furnish such information relating to administration of affairs of District as the Government may call for;

(g) Keep the Government informed of all important, political and administrative matters and major developments in the fields of planning, economic development, law and order, etc.

(2) No order shall be issued without the approval of the in cases enumerated in Schedule-Ill.

(3) The cases enumerated in Schedule IV shall be submitted to the Administrator for his information. The Administrator may require any other case to be submitted to him for information.

Functions and Powers of the District Coordination Officer (D.C.O)

In addition to the duties and functions assigned to him under any other provisions of these rules, the D.C.O shall:

(a) Be the official head of the District Administration;

(b) Co-ordinate the activities of all groups of district offices;

(c) Have the powers to call for any case or information from any district office.

Duties and Functions of Executive District Officer (E.D.O)

(1) An E.D.O shall:

(a) Assist the D.C.O. in formulation of policy and bring to the notice of the D.C.O. cases which are required to be submitted to the Administrator under the rules;

(b) Duly execute the sanctioned policy;

(c) Be the official head of the group of district offices and be responsible for its efficient administration and discipline, and for the proper conduct of business assigned to the Group of offices;

(d) Submit all proposals for taxation and the bye-laws to the Zila Council through D.C.O and Zila Nazim/Administrators;

(e) Be responsible to the D.C.O. for the proper conduct of the business of the group of district offices, and keep him informed about the working of the District Offices;

(f) Where the Zila Nazim’s/Administrators orders appear to involve a departure from rules, regulations or Government policy, resubmit the case to the Administrator inviting his attention to the relevant rules, regulations or Government policy and if the Administrator still disagrees with the E.D.O., the E.D.O., through D.C.O. shall refer the case to the Provincial Local Government Commission for decision;

(g) Subject to any general or special order of Government in this behalf, issue standing orders specifying the cases or other classes of cases which may be disposed of by an officer subordinate to the EDO; and

(h) Be responsible for the careful observance of these rules in his Group of District Offices.

(2) While submitting a case for the orders of the Administrator or D.C.O. it shall be the duty of the E.D.O. to suggest a definite line of action.

Consultation among District Offices

(1) When the subject of a case concerns more than one district office:

(a) The E.D.O. in-charge shall be responsible for consulting the other district offices; and

(b) No order shall be issued nor shall the case be submitted to D.C.O. or the Administrator until it has been considered by all the district offices concerned.

(2) In case of difference of opinion between the district offices concerned, the E.D.O. primarily concerned shall submit the same to the Zila Nazim through D.C.O/Administrators.

(3) When a case is referred by one district office to another for consultation, all relevant facts and the points necessitating the reference shall be clearly brought out.

(4) Even where consultation is not required a district office may, for the purpose of information, transmit copies of communication received by it, or show a case, to such other district offices as may be considered to be interested in it.

(5) An E.D.O. may requisition a case of another district office if it is required for the disposal of a case in his office.

(6) The E.D.O. for Finance and Planning may requisition a case of any district office in which a financial consideration is involved.

District Coordination Office:

(1) The District Coordination Office shall be responsible for:

(a) the co-ordination of the policy of all district offices with respect to the services under their control so as to secure consistency of treatment;

(b) Securing to all Government servants the rights and privileges conferred on them by law for the time being in force;

(c) Determining the strength and the terms and conditions of services of the personal staff of Administrator and Naib Nazim/Administrators; and

(d) Serving as Secretariat of the Zila Nazim/Administrators;

(2) No District Office shall without the concurrence of the District Coordination Office, authorize any order other than an order passed in pursuance of any general or special delegation made by the District Coordination Office.

District Police Office:

The District Police Officer (D.P.O) shall keep the Administrator generally informed of the matters affecting law & order. Consultation with District Finance and Budget Office:

(1) No district office shall, without previous consultation with the District Finance and Budget Office, authorize any order which in particular involves:

(a) Relinquishment, remission or assignment of revenue relating to local funds, actual or potential, or furnish a guarantee against it or grant of all kinds of leases;

(b) Expenditure for which no provision exists;

(c) levy of taxes, duties, fee or cases listed in Part 1 of Second Schedule of the Punjab Local Government Ordinance, 2001;

(d) Re-appropriations within budget grants;

(e) Interpretation of bye-laws made by the Finance and Budget Office.

(2) No proposal, which requires previous consultation with the Finance and Budget Office under sub-rule (1) but in which the Finance and Budget Office has not concurred, shall be proceeded with unless a decision to that effect has been taken by the Zila Council. Formal orders shall, nevertheless, be issued only after the Finance and Budget Office has exercised scrutiny over the details of the proposal.

Consultation with District Law Office:

(1) The District Law Office shall be consulted by other district officers:

(a) On all legal questions arising out of any case;

(b) On the interpretation of any law;

(c) Before instituting criminal or civil proceedings in a court of law in which District Government is involved; and

(d) Whenever criminal or civil proceedings are instituted against District Government.

E.D.Os Committee:

(1) There shall be constituted E.D.O. Committee with the District Coordination Officer as its Chairman, to facilitate co-ordination among the departments, to provide a venue for the consideration of matters of common interest and to tender advice on any case that may be referred to the Zila Nazim/Administrators.

(2) Conclusions reached at, the meeting of the E.D.O. Committee shall not be taken as decision of the District Government. Any further action required shall be taken by the District Office concerned in accordance with the rules.