MUZAFFARABAD: The Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has announced that polling in the third phase of elections will be held tomorrow, August 10, in only four constituencies of Bagh and Haveli districts.
Voting will take place in LA‑14, LA‑15, LA‑16, and LA‑17, while the schedule for the remaining seven constituencies of Poonch division will be released later due to security reasons.
Polling in AJK’s Poonch & Palandri postponed for security concerns
Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal said that voting is both a democratic right and a religious duty, stressing that “it is necessary to deliver the trust to its rightful owner.”
He confirmed that security forces have reached Bagh and Haveli, with personnel deployed at sensitive polling stations to ensure order.
The Commission added that election dates for Rawalakot and Sadhanoti will be announced within the next seven days, giving candidates adequate time for campaigning.
It is pertinent to add here that the latest announcement by AJK’s Election Commission comes against the backdrop of what observers describe as the most controversial elections in AJK’s history.
The first two phases were marred by clashes in Nakyal, riots in Samahni, and violence in Rawlakot, incidents largely ignored by mainstream media but repeatedly highlighted by the opposition.
The PPP has alleged rigging, fake voting, and attacks on its leaders and workers, while the PML‑N has claimed a simple majority and projected confidence in securing a two‑thirds majority once the third phase concludes.
Analysts have expressed apprehensions that limiting polling to four constituencies underscores the fragile law and order situation in Poonch division, raising further questions about the credibility of the electoral process and the legitimacy of the assembly that will emerge from these elections.
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