AJK elections phase two ends as vote counting begins in Muzaffarabad Division

WEB DESK: Polling for the second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections in Muzaffarabad Division has concluded, with vote counting now underway.

Election officials said results will be announced in accordance with the election code of conduct.

Polling hours had been extended by one hour beyond the scheduled closing time to facilitate voters. The extended voting period has now ended, although voters who were already inside polling stations before the deadline will still be allowed to cast their ballots.

Polling for two constituencies — LA-27 and LA-28 of Muzaffarabad Division — was, however, postponed on Sunday due to adverse weather conditions and landslides.

AJK Chief Election Commissioner Ghulam Mustafa Mughal announced that polling at 52 stations in Legislative Assembly constituency LA-28 Muzaffarabad-II (Lachrat) and all polling stations in LA-27 will now be held on August 4.

According to the AJK Election Commission, the postponement followed severe weather disruptions that prevented election staff and polling materials from reaching the affected areas because of blocked roads. The decision was taken based on a report submitted by the Returning Officer (RO).

The Commission’s spokesperson said polling at designated stations in Noseri, Nosda, Panjgaran, Dewliyan and Panjkot will be conducted on August 4 from 8am to 5pm. Sealed polling bags have been collected from presiding officers at the affected stations, while arrangements for the rescheduled polling are being completed under the revised schedule.

Voting for the second phase began at 8am and continued throughout the day in eight constituencies of Muzaffarabad Division, as well as for 12 reserved seats allocated to Kashmiri refugees residing in Pakistan.

The polling process was conducted under strict security arrangements, with the armed forces’ Quick Response Force placed on standby to ensure voter safety, particularly in sensitive constituencies including LA-28, LA-29 and LA-31. More than 4,000 security personnel were deployed to maintain law and order.

Meanwhile, voting for the reserved refugee seats at designated polling centres across Pakistan, including Peshawar, Lahore and Rawalpindi, also concluded, with ballot counting underway under tight security.

A total of 208 candidates contested eight seats in Muzaffarabad Division, where nearly 890,621 registered voters were eligible to cast their ballots. The division comprises the districts of Muzaffarabad, Neelum and Jhelum Valley.

The Election Commission established 1,483 polling stations and 2,219 polling booths across the division. Candidates from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, Jamaat-e-Islami, and independent groups took part in the contest.

The final phase of the AJK elections will be held on August 10 for 11 seats in Poonch Division. Chief Election Commissioner Mughal said the schedule was designed to ensure sufficient deployment of army personnel across all divisions to maintain peaceful polling amid the prevailing security situation.