The Gilgit-Baltistan Election Commission has directed that the results of the June 7 elections should not be consolidated until re-polling in five constituencies is completed.
In a circular issued to the concerned returning officers on June 8, the commission stated that re-polling had been ordered at certain polling stations in Skardu-II (GBA-8), Astore-I (GBA-13), Diamer-I (GBA-15), Diamer-II (GBA-16), and Diamer-III (GBA-17).
The commission said the process of consolidating election results under the Elections Act, 2017 and Elections Rules, 2017 can only be completed after the results from the re-polled polling stations are included in the constituency-wise results. Returning officers were instructed not to open, scrutinize, or count postal ballots and not to finalize, announce, or issue the final results of their respective constituencies until the re-polling process is completed.
Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shahbaz Khan said re-polling will take place on June 15 at 26 polling stations across the five constituencies. These include 10 polling stations in Skardu-II, one in Astore-I, one in Diamer-I, three in Diamer-II, and 11 in Diamer-III.
A day earlier, the Election Commission had also ordered recounts in two additional constituencies. One recount was approved in Ghizer-II (GBA-20) after independent candidate Safdar Ali Shirazi and PPP candidate Nazir Ahmed Advocate raised concerns over alleged irregularities during the vote counting process. The recount was scheduled to take place today. The commission also ordered a recount in Gilgit-III (GBA-3).
According to unofficial results based on Forms-47 from the June 7 elections, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) remains in the lead, securing 11 out of the 24 seats in the Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly.
