According to a media report, holding of local body polls in the region even in the month of November 2024 were not seems to be possible due to non-cooperation of the administration regarding the completion of delimitation and demarcation process of the local body constituencies in the region. As per report, it was the responsibility of the administration to carry-out the demarcation and delimitation process, but it was not cooperating with the Election Commission of the region. According to the media report, last local body polls were held in the region during the year 2004 and there-after local body polls were not held in the region and Gilgit-Baltistan was the only administrative unit of the country where-in local body polls were not being heldfor the last two decades. Earlier, it was claimed by the local body minister Haji Abdul Hameed that federal government had assured for the province of funds and local body polls would be held in the month of April/May 2024.
Last local body polls were held in the region during the year 2004 and thereafter, r, local body polls were not held in the region despite of claims by the governments of the region, where-as local body polls were being held in the other provinces of the country after the intervention of the Supreme Court of Pakistan few years ago. After the promulgation of Order-2009 by the federal government to regulate and manage the affairs of the region, Assembly of the area was competent to enact the law regarding the local body’s institutions of the region and Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of the area was empowered to conduct the local boy elections in the region as per Article 114 Order-2018. It also provides for the establishment of local government system and devolved political, administrative and financial responsibility and authority to the elected representatives of the local government, but unfortunately, successive governments of the region were failed to give effect to the provisions of governing document of the region. It is pertinent to mention here that incumbent Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of the region was constantly making his best endeavors so that the local polls could be held in the region and petty issues of the people could be resolved at their door step, but government of the region was not extending its due support to the CEC of the region in fulfilling his obligation under the law. Now, according to the media report, it was apparently not possible for holding of local body polls in the region even in the month of November 2024 due to non-completion of demarcation and delimitation process of the local body’sconstituencies in the region. It was also pointed out in the media report that it was the responsibility of the administration to carry-out the delimitation and demarcation process of the local body institutions, but the administration was not extending its support to the CEC of the region due to which local body polls were being delayed with-out any justification, which was not acceptable.
We would urge the government of the area to extend all sort of support to the CEC of the region for completion of delimitation and demarcation process of local body constituencies, so that local body polls could be held in the region as soon as possible……….END
