Second phase of AJK polls begins in Muzaffarabad division

The second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections began on Sunday morning. Polling is being held in nine constituencies of Muzaffarabad division and all 12 refugee constituencies.

Polling started at 8am and will continue without interruption till 5pm. Over 300 candidates are vying for nine Muzaffarabad seats and 12 seats for refugees settled in different regions.

According to the AJK Election Commission, 207 candidates are in the fray for the nine constituencies in Muzaffarabad division, comprising five seats in Muzaffarabad district and two each in Neelum and Jhelum Valley districts.

Another 137 candidates are contesting the 12 refugee constituencies, including six seats representing refugees from the Kashmir Valley and six from Jammu.

A total of 809,621 voters are registered in Muzaffarabad division, while the 12 refugee constituencies have a combined electorate of 438,834. According to the commission, 1,483 polling stations have been established across Muzaffarabad division, of which 533 have been declared highly sensitive, 741 sensitive and 209 normal. Another 1,057 polling stations have been set up for the 12 refugee constituencies.

Out of 12 refugee seats, seven seats are in Punjab, one seat is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, one seat (Jammu-VI) is divided between Pun­jab, Islamabad, and Khyber Pakhtun­khwa, one seat is divided between Sindh and Balo­chistan (Valley-I), and one seat (Jammu-I) is shared among refugees living in Balochistan, Punjab, and Sindh. Valley-V seat is divided between Punjab and Islamabad.

In Rawalpindi and Islamabad, about 27,000 registered male and female voters will elect lawmakers for LA-43 (Valley-IV), LA-44 (Valley-V), and LA-39 (Jammu-VI) seats. A total of 175 polling stations have been established, out of which 18 polling stations in Rawalpindi have been declared sensitive. A total of 34 candidates are in the fray.

The PPP and the PML-N — coalition partners in the Centre — have been engaged in a war of words since the latter emerged victorious in Mirpur in the first phase of AJK elections.

More to follow