GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan election tribunal on Thurs day declared the recent GB Council`s elections as illegal and ordered fresh election to the council through secret ballot.

The court suspended membership of the six members of GB Council elected from the region.

The decision was made by Justice Mohammad Alam while hearing a petition of Haji Ali Haider, a candidate for the council, who had challenged the GB Council elections through his counsel Amjad Husain advocate.

In his petition, Mr Haider had challenged conduct of GB Council elections by show of hands instead of secret ballot in the election tribunal.

The petitioner stated that the federal government had amended the GB Council election rules, replacing the method of secret ballot with show of hands after the announcement of council election schedule.

He argued that conduct of council elections through show of hands was illegal and unconstitutional, therefore election of six members for the council be declared null and void.

The petitioner stated that the GB government should be directed to issue fresh schedule of the elections through secret ballot. The petitioner maintained that under the `GB Empowerment and Self Governance Order 2009`, the GBLA members had to elect six members of GB Council through secret ballot and transferable vote pattern.

He stated that after the announcement of council election date, the regional and federal governments introduced amendments to the election laws of GB Council and empowerment order, which was illegal.

The petitioner said the federal government manipulated the GB Council elections by violating the dictum of law and verdict of the Supreme Court.

Six members of the council from the region were elected on April 18 through show of hands and they were administered oath by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in his capacity as chairman of GB Council, during his visit to GB on May 16.

The court had issued notices to the respondents, including six members of the council, chief election commissioner, representative of the federal Kashmir affairs ministry and Gilgit-Baltistan secretary to appear before the court to explain their stance.

As the respondents could not appear before the court in two hearings of the case, Justice Alam announced verdict of the case.