Gilgit Baltistan EC orders Presiding officers to provide Form 45 to polling agents

SKARDU: The Gilgit Baltistan (GB) Election Commission (EC) has directed all presiding officers in Gilgit-Baltistan to provide a copy of Form 45 to polling agents, ARY News reported.

The development comes after Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leaders Nayyar Hussain Bukhari and Qamar Zaman Kaira demanded the mandatory provision of the form.

The Election Commission has instructed presiding officers across all 24 constituencies to strictly follow the guidelines and ensure that polling agents receive at least one attested copy of Form 45.

According to the EC, ensuring the provision of Form 45 is a mandatory requirement under the Elections Act 2017.

The commission added that compliance with these instructions is vital to maintaining complete transparency throughout the electoral process.

Before the Election Commission’s directives, PPP leader Nayyar Hussain Bukhari claimed that Form 45 was not being provided to the party’s polling agents. He alleged that their agents were being ordered to leave the polling stations, prompting the party leadership to contact the Chief Election Commissioner to report the matter.

The PPP leader noted that while the Gilgit-Baltistan elections had proceeded peacefully without any major disruptions to the law and order situation, the Election Commission needed to intervene immediately to address these procedural grievances.