chemistry

electrolyte provides a mobile medium to let cations and anions move to the respective electrodes and discharge. This could be called the internal circuit in a chemical cell.

If the ions in the electroyte are not mobile, then the circuit cannot complete then there is no flow of current. For example, solid sodium chloride could not conduct electricity as the ions are bound strong within the crytal structure but molten sodium chloride which contains mobile sodium and chloride then it can conduct electricity.