AJK Election Commission to Hold Voting in Remaining Poonch Division Seats by Aug. 20-21, Says CEC.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Election Commissioner, Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, announced that security concerns led the commission to finish voting in four constituencies of Bagh and Haveli first.\n\nMonday’s polling will take place in those four constituencies, covering 460,371 registered voters – 238,664 men and 221,707 women – across 803 polling stations and 1,254 polling booths.\n\nA total of 82 candidates are contesting the elections, including one sitting prime minister, two former prime ministers, one current minister, three former ministers and a sitting member of the AJK Council. The largest number of candidates, 30, is in LA‑14 (Central Bagh), while LA‑17 (Haveli) has only nine.\n\nFor security, eight trained personnel are being deployed at each polling station flagged as highly sensitive. Security units have already moved to Bagh and Haveli, and the army is supervising the transport of polling material.\n\nJustice Mughal noted that the commission will try to restore internet services in Bagh and Haveli on Aug. 9 and 10 to speed the compilation and transmission of results. He also said there is no constitutional barrier to elected members taking their oaths, but the oath may be withheld until the house is fully constituted following the completion of all Poonch and Sudhnoti polls.\n\nRegarding allegations of rigging, the commissioner said the commission has limits in responding to such claims and will present facts to the public once the elections are completed. He explained that the Returning Officer compiles the results, with voting counted beforehand in the presence of polling agents.\n\nAfter the polls, reserved seats will be elected, followed by selections for the speaker, deputy speaker and House leader.