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Chief Court wants local bodies elections in Gilgit-Baltistan “soon”
GILGIT: Chief Justice Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court Justice Malik Haq Nawaz and Justice Ali Baig heard a petition seeking early holding of local body elections.
According to sources, the court has noted that the Election Commissioner Gilgit-Baltistan and GB government were not taking necessary steps to hold local body elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, thus depriving the people of Gilgit-Baltistan of representation through elected representatives and devolution of power at local level and other basic rights.
The court has further noted that the GB government and chief election commissioner were bound to hold local government elections in Gilgit-Baltistan under Article 114 of the Gilgit-Baltistan Governance Order 2018.
The court has observed that the government is illegally running the local body institutions through non-elected administrative authorities.
The judges have further noted that providing billions of rupees to these non-elected institutions in the name of local body system is against the principles of fair distribution, transparency and good governance.
The court has directed to take necessary steps and hold local body elections in Gilgit-Baltistan without further delay.
