LHC Rules Women Eligible for Permanent Lumberdar Posts

The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ruled that women are eligible to be appointed as permanent lumberdars, setting aside executive orders issued by the Punjab government in a case related to a village in Lodhran.

In a seven page judgment authored by Justice Raheel Kamran, the court allowed a petition filed by a woman challenging the decisions of the Lodhran deputy commissioner and the Board of Revenue, which had appointed another individual as permanent lumberdar.

The court observed that no law prevents women from holding the office of lumberdar and emphasized constitutional principles of equality and inclusion.

“This Court cannot remain oblivious to the contemporary constitutional ethos of equality, inclusion and fair participation of women in public life. No provision of law has been shown which disentitles a woman from holding the office of Lumberdar,” the order stated.

According to the ruling, female candidates who fulfill the required criteria and demonstrate competence, experience, and public acceptability must receive the same objective consideration as male candidates.

The court said rural governance and revenue administration could benefit from the inclusion of capable women in institutional roles traditionally dominated by men.

The judgment also noted that the petitioner had served as Sarbarah Lumberdar since 2002 and had assisted her late father, who previously held the position of permanent lumberdar in the same village.

The court observed that her experience, hereditary claim, and familiarity with revenue administration could not be ignored without valid legal grounds.