The lawmakers, also members of the parliamentary standing committee on the law, justice and parliamentary affairs ministry, termed the proposal as inconsistent with the constitution and asked the government to rethink it.

The committee decided to discuss other provisions of the proposed 14th amendment to the constitution bill in detail on May 9 and invite opposition lawmakers to the meeting again to seek their opinion.

The bill, placed in parliament on April 28 after some changes, says the government will appoint its officials to the local government bodies after expiry of their tenures and they will continue in office until new bodies are installed through polls.

At yesterday's meeting, Chief Whip Khandakar Delwar Hossain said Article 59 of the constitution did not allow any unelected person to hold any local government position.

"I don't agree with the proposed provision as it's not consistent with the constitution. It'll not be wise to send bureaucrats to local governments," meeting sources quoted him as saying.

Ziaur Rahman Khan, another lawmaker of the key ruling party BNP, expressed the same view.

"We should not appoint bureaucrats to local government bodies for a single day. We should find out another way to break the logjam that blocks timely elections to the bodies."

The chief whip also opposed the proposed proportionate distribution of reserved women seats among political parties with representation in parliament.

Law Minister Moudud Ahmed, who placed the bill in Jatiya Sangsad, did not make any comment at the meeting.

Committee Chairman Khandakar Mahbub Uddin Ahmed presided over the meeting held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.