GILGIT-BALTISTAN ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS, 2020 Global Election Observers Network’s Preliminary Observation Report GEON OBSERVERD ORDERLY AND PEACEFUL POLLING ON 15 NOV 2020. COMPLAINTS ON RESULTS WERE ADRESSED BY ECGB. 300 NOTICES SERVED ON VIOLATION BY ECGB. ECGB HELD PRESS CONFERENCES AND RE- POLLING IN DIFFERENT CONSTITUENCIES ON CONCERNS OF POLITICAL CANDIDATES. WEATHER FACTOR AFFECTED THE POLL AT FEW POLLING STATIONS. RE ELECTION WILL BE HELD IN CONSTITUENCIES WITH COMPLAINTS ALONG WITH GBLA 3 ON 22 NOV 2020. GILGIT-BALTISTAN ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS, 2020 Global Election Observers Network’s Preliminary Observation Report Gilgit Baltistan Election, 15 Nov 2020 Observed by Global Election Observers Network (GEON) The third consecutive elections for the legislative assembly of Gilgit Baltistan ,after the status of province, were held on 15 Nov 2020 under the Presidential order to form a caretaker government and for extension of the Elections Act 2017 to Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) promulgated on 17 May 2020.The assembly is unicameral that consists of 33 members who are representatives of the people of GB. 24 members come through general elections while 6 seats are reserved for women and 3 seats for technocrats. The elections initially were held on 23 seats because one candidate, Syed Jaffar Shah of PTI went to his eternal abode. Election on this seat took place on held on 22 Nov where 23 candidates were in the run. Number of total votes registered is 745,361 out of which, 339,998 are women, which constitutes 46% of the total electors. Total population of GB is 1.4 Million (14 hundred thousand) in 2017 census. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) fielded 23 candidates and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and GILGIT-BALTISTAN ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS, 2020 Global Election Observers Network’s Preliminary Observation Report Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) 21 candidates each. 14 political parties took part in the election with 127 candidates including 3 women. Out of 200 independent candidates, only one female contested the election on independent seat. Since Aug 2009, Gilgit Baltistan has seen 3 general elections and the latest are third consecutive pole in which Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf emerged as the largest party and formed government by collaborating with independent candidates. It is now a tradition here and people say that the regional government is formed by the party that is already in power in the centre.PTI won 10 seats while 5 Independent winners have also joined PTI. GILGIT-BALTISTAN ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS, 2020 Global Election Observers Network’s Preliminary Observation Report Gilgit-Baltistan(GB); It was Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA) in the early years of Pakistan but now it is autonomous region with its own government and electoral systems. In 1970, it became asingle administrative unit called Northern Areas under administrative control of the Ministry of Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas, formed from the amalgamation of the Gilgit Agency, the Baltistan District of the Ladakh Wazarat, and the states of Hunza and Nagar.The region is divided into two administrative divisions: Gilgit and Baltistan/Skardu, and covers 72,971km² with an estimated population of1.4 million. Election Commission of GB; Elections are conducted by the ECGB, which has its own financial and administrative infrastructure. The ECGB is headed by a Chief Election Commissioner(CEC). Unlike the Election Commission of Pakistan(ECP), in the ECGB, the CEC is the only Member of the Commission. The Chairman of the Council (the Prime Minister of Pakistan) appoints the CEC on the advice of the Governor of GB (Vice Chairman).The CEC of ECGB is selected from a panel of retired judges and bureaucrats. The current CEC of ECGB, Mr Tahir Ali Shah, is a retired judge of Supreme Appellate Court of GB.The eligibility criterion for the CEC in GB is distinct from that of Members of the ECP, who may only be retired judges. Most of the ECGB administrative officials have been seconded from the District Management Services of GB.While it is a separate organization, the ECGB is in contact with the ECP and seeks technical assistance and support from time to time. Raja Shahbaz Khan is the present CEC under whose administration and arrangement the Elections of 15 Nov 2020 took place. He is former Judge and enjoy a good repute among all circles and tribes of GB. GILGIT-BALTISTAN ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS, 2020 Global Election Observers Network’s Preliminary Observation Report Observations of the Representatives of "Global election Observers Network” Here is a detailed report prepared by “Global Election Observers Network” on the election. It covers the background and latest state of affairs pre- elections, elections and post -elections. It also sheds light on the measures taken by the election commission of GB to make the elections free, fair and transparent as much as they can be. GOEN has a network of more than 150 observers including women throughout GB in every constituency who noted how the process was going on and they reported from their respective areas and constituencies. The network remained connected with its regional control in Gilgit and central monitoring in Rawalpindi/Islamabad. The observers of this network were registered with their proper IDs and were issued special cards for entry into the premises of elections. They developed close contacts with the general public, political workers, candidates and the Election Commission Officials to fetch maximum information and that the closest to the ground realities. The Observers/representatives had access to the polling stations and they face no obstacle in this regard. GILGIT-BALTISTAN ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS, 2020 Global Election Observers Network’s Preliminary Observation Report Geon Observers noted the procedures and implementation of rules and regulations in pre-election phase as well as on the polling days in their respective areas. They found a smooth and orderly election in most of the polling stations. There were some complaints of slow polling and other problems but the staff were seen willing to address them accordingly. As long as slow polling is concerned, there were some unavoidable situations where the weather was not fine or where the long distances were problem, Geon observers noted that as the day begun turn out was low but during the day more people tend to vote and thus process of polling seen slight delay. According to GEON observation Election Commission succeeded in holding all the procedures in accordance with law and the major achievement of GBEC was to stop political parties from campaigning and conversing for the votes on the election day. There were some allegations of irregularities but most of them could not be proved and the remaining were legally addressed by the Election commission. Forms 45 that are preliminary results of the polling were available to the polling agents of all parties. Voting and Counting were noted as per prescribed rules and regulations. GEON observers did not find any breach of the secrecy of the vote nor any stamping of ballots by others on behalf of voters. The observers have not reported turning away of voters registered at the polling stations. GB Elections 2020 held on the voter list that was prepared by NADRA in Sep 2014 and verified by the staff going door to door. This list was shared preliminarily with all candidates and for the voters as well to receive the complaints if any, for 21 days. It was purely for objections, corrections, inclusion or whatever was required with the passage of time. And all necessary changes were made as per the desire of the candidates and the voters. Moreover NADRA was asked to allot SMS service 8300 for the voters to check their status. Provincial Status Back Ground: GILGIT-BALTISTAN ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS, 2020 Global Election Observers Network’s Preliminary Observation Report On 29 August 2009, the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order 2009, was passed by the Pakistan’s cabinet and later signed by the then President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari. Gilgit-Baltistan thus gained a de facto province-like status without constitutionally becoming part of Pakistan. Prime Minister Imran Khan on 01 Nov 2020 officially announced his government’s decision to convert the territory of Gilgit Baltistan (GB) into a full-fledged province. The decision will grant the region Pakistan’s constitutional rights, comprising representation in the upper and lower houses of the (Pakistan) parliament but a notification in this regard and details of the announcement are still awaited. Therefore, the locals took this fresh announcement just as an election slogan. First Assembly Election; First election was held on 12 Nov 2009 in which 264 candidates participated, out of which 99 from 10 different political parties and 165 independent candidates contested for 24 seats. Voting took place from Morning 9 AM to 4 PM. 1022 polling stations were set up out of which 200 polling stations were considered sensitive. 5000 law enforcement personnel were hired for security. Pakistan People’s Party emerged as the largest party with 11 general seats in the assembly by winning 20 seats out of 33 including special and reserved seats of women and others. The assembly members took oath on 10 December 2009 and Syed Mehdi Shah became the 1st Chief Minister of Gilgit Baltistan unopposed. The assembly completed its full 5 years term. Result; PPP secured 20 seats. Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) 4, PML-N and PML-Q 3 each, and Islami Tehreek Pakistan, MuttahidaQoumi Movement and Balawaristan National Front 1 each. Wazir Baig of the PPP was chosen as Assembly Speaker and Jamil Ahmed, also from PPP, was appointed Deputy Speaker. Bashir Ahmed, of the PML-Q, was appointed as the first opposition leader nine months after the election. The members took oath on 10 Dec 2009 and Syed Mehdi Shah was elected First CM of GB.