GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) Chief Court has directed the Election Commission and administration to hold local government (LG) polls in the region without any further delay.
A two-member bench of the court headed by the Chief Justice on Tuesday, ordered the authorities concerned to hold the local government elections in the region as early as possible.
It is pertinent to mention here that local residents had filed a petition in the court against prolonged delay in local body elections which had been dysfunctional since 2007.
Owing to this the basic problems faced by residents of far-flung villages do not come to the knowledge of the authorities. The primary cause for this is the lack of representation of every village at the district level.
In the past local government polls traditionally used to be held on the very next day of the election day of the GB Council, owing to which the turnout of the voters would be maintained and the election process was more vibrant and interesting.
Residents had requested the federal and provincial governments and the election commission to conduct the local government elections at the same time as the elections to GB Legislative Assembly.
