ISLAMABAD, Aug. 2: Polling began on Sunday for the second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections, covering 21 constituencies, including nine in Muzaffarabad Division and all 12 refugee constituencies.
Voting started at 8:00 a.m. and will continue until 5:00 p.m. across the designated constituencies.
In Muzaffarabad Division, elections are being held in five constituencies in Muzaffarabad district, two in Jhelum Valley, and two in Neelum, with 207 candidates contesting for the nine seats.
Polling is also underway in 12 refugee constituencies—six reserved for refugees from the Kashmir Valley and six for refugees from the Jammu region—where 137 candidates are in the race.
What Is the Political Context Ahead of the Final Phase?
The second phase follows the first round of polling held in Mirpur Division, where the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) secured nine of the 13 seats, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) won four seats.
The PPP has alleged widespread rigging during the first phase, claiming evidence of unusually high voter turnout at several polling stations. The PML-N has rejected the allegations.
On Saturday, AJK Election Commission Secretary and Senior Member Muhammad Ahsan urged voters to participate actively in the electoral process, describing voting as the democratic expression of the people’s will and the primary means of electing representatives.
The third and final phase of the AJK Legislative Assembly elections is scheduled to take place in Poonch Division on August 10.