Old voter list approved for Gilgit-Baltistan elections amid errors in new roll

The Election Commission has decided to accept the previous electoral roll instead of the newly prepared voter list for upcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan, following widespread complaints about errors in the updated list, officials said.

According to the Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan, the old electoral roll 2026 has been officially reissued. The decision came after numerous discrepancies were reported in the newly compiled voter list.

Under the revised roll, the total number of registered voters in Gilgit-Baltistan stands at 958,480. This includes 503,772 male voters and 454,708 female voters.

Officials confirmed that a total of 396 candidates are contesting the upcoming Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections. Of these, 266 are independent candidates, making them the largest group in the race.

Among political parties, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leads with 23 candidates, followed by the Istihkam-e-Pakistan Party with 15 and the Pakistan Muslim League with 11 candidates in the field.

The Election Commission also noted low female participation in the electoral contest, with only eight women candidates running for seats in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections.

The updated decision aims to ensure transparency and accuracy in the electoral process after concerns were raised over data inconsistencies in the revised voter list.