AJK elections: Results of six constituencies challenged in SC, notices issued to parties

The results of six constituencies of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly have been challenged in the AJK Supreme Court (SC). Rival candidates had approached the court against the notification of victory issued for the winning candidates, challenging the election results as well as alleged irregularities in the process.

The SC has issued notices to all parties concerned and fixed September 1 and 3, 2026 as the dates for hearing the petitions.

Chaudhry Latif Akbar challenged the victory of Saqib Majeed in LA-31 Khuiratta-5, while Chaudhry Yasin contested the win of Raja Riasat in LA-12 Kotli-5. In LA-11 Kotli-4, rival candidate Chaudhry Akhlaq Ahmed challenged the success of Raja Asif.

Similarly, Javed Iqbal Budhanvi challenged the victory of Sardar Umair Naeem in LA-9 Kotli-3, Chaudhry Pervaiz Ashraf contested the win of Colonel Waqar Noor in LA-5 Bhimber-1, and Mushtaq Minhas approached the court against the success of Sardar Ziaul Qamar in LA-15 Central Bagh.

The petitioners have requested the SC to review the election results and take legal action against the winning candidates in the event that irregularities are established.

Polling for reserved seats to take place on August 24

Earlier this month, AJK Election Commission announced on August 16 that polling for the assembly’s eight reserved seats, five for women, one for Ulema-e-Deen or Mushaikh, one for state subjects residing abroad, and one for technocrats, would be held on August 24 from 10am to 1pm. Nomination papers can be filed on August 20, with the returning officer scrutinising them and publishing a validated candidates list afterward. Appeals against acceptance or rejection of nominations can be filed on August 21, heard by the chief election commissioner on August 22, with verdicts announced August 23; appeals can be withdrawn by 2pm that same day.

The AJK Assembly comprises 53 seats, 45 directly elected and eight reserved, the latter elected by the directly elected members. However, elections to seven directly elected seats (five in Poonch, two in Sudhnoti) have not been held due to law and order concerns, meaning the reserved-seat vote will be contested by only 38 of the 45 directly elected members — 84.4 percent of that membership.

Separately, PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting on women’s reserved seats, with participants praising women’s role in the AJK elections as positive for democracy.

On the broader polls, PML-N has won 24 seats so far, nine in Mirpur division (phase one, July 27) and 15 in Muzaffarabad division and refugee seats (phase two, August 2), against PPP’s 10. The elections are being held in three phases due to regional unrest; the third phase, meant to cover all of Poonch division, proceeded only in Bagh and Haveli, with polling dates for Poonch and Sudhnoti districts still unannounced.