Government decisions should not be at odds with laws or the Constitution

To "counter the downside pressure on the local economy", all public servants in Yan'an in Northwest China's Shaanxi province are required to work on Saturdays until the end of September, according to the local government. The heads of departments will be held accountable if they do not carry forward the new regulation, which fails to mention any compensation, such as special allowances, for the extra working days. Comments:

For long, illegally issued official documents have dealt a blow to many local governments' credibility and reputation. Such misconduct has a lot to do with the lack of respect for the law and the Constitution on the part of some officials, who never take them into consideration when exercising their power. A stricter mechanism for the issuance of government regulations is needed given that some local departments are accustomed to following such directives.

xinhuanet.com, July 12