Gilgit-Baltistan has moved decisively closer to holding local government elections for the first time in more than two decades after the regional assembly passed the amended Local Government Act 2026. The legislation was approved by a majority vote during a session chaired by Deputy Speaker Malik Kifayatur Rehman, and now awaits the governor’s assent before authorities announce a new election date.
The bill now goes to Governor Syed Mehdi Shah, who had earlier returned the original version for reconsideration after raising objections to several provisions. Local Bodies Minister Zulfiqar Ali Murad reintroduced the amended draft only after the provincial cabinet approved revisions addressing the governor’s concerns.
How the Amended Local Government Act Was Passed
Local Bodies Minister Zulfiqar Ali Murad introduced the draft bill in the House, explaining that it was brought back after the GB Cabinet approved the revised draft with the governor’s objections addressed. Opposition members asked for more time to study the amended bill before voting, but the majority supported passage, and the Deputy Speaker announced its approval over the opposition’s dissent, Minute Mirror reported.
The assembly had previously passed the legislation, but Governor Syed Mehdi Shah returned it for reconsideration. Murad told the House the bill was brought back only after those objections were addressed and the cabinet approved the revised draft.
What the Gilgit-Baltistan Local Government Act 2026 Establishes
Under the amended law, municipal corporations will be established in Gilgit, Skardu and Chilas, where elected representatives will choose mayors and deputy mayors. Union councils and district councils will also be formed across all districts to strengthen local-level administration.
The legislation reserves a 17 per cent quota for women in local government bodies, providing a framework for greater female representation in elected local institutions. The House also approved a bill to establish a Gilgit-Baltistan Information Technology Board during the same session, Shyok Times reported.
Why Local Elections Were Delayed for More Than Two Decades
The vote follows months of administrative deadlock. Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shahbaz Khan had scheduled local body polls for August 2 without consulting Chief Minister Amjad Hussain Advocate. The chief minister insisted the polls should be held under the new 2026 law, while the election commissioner intended to use the 2014 legislation.
The election commission then postponed the polls. The dispute intensified over the competing legal frameworks, with the chief minister maintaining that elections must be conducted under the newly passed act rather than the older 2014 law.
What Happens Next After the Governor’s Assent
Once Governor Syed Mehdi Shah gives his assent, authorities are expected to announce a new election date for the local body polls. The development follows months of uncertainty over the election schedule and the legal framework under which the polls would be conducted.
The passage of the amended act ends the prolonged political and administrative deadlock over the polls. For the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, it brings the region’s first local body elections in more than 20 years within reach, promising to restore elected local governance to the territory’s districts, towns and villages.
The Political Context in Gilgit-Baltistan
The legislation was passed by the same coalition arrangement that saw PPP’s Imran Nadeem elected unopposed as Speaker of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, with PML-N’s Malik Kifayatur Rehman as Deputy Speaker. PPP leader Amjad Hussain was elected unopposed as the fifth Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, completing the formation of a coalition-backed government after the June elections.
With the local government framework now in place, the coalition government led by Chief Minister Amjad Hussain will be judged on how quickly it can move from legislation to actual polling day in a region that has waited over two decades for elected local bodies.
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