MUZAFFARABAD: Amid tight security arrangements, polling is underway in the second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections.
In the second phase, voters are casting their ballots in 21 constituencies, including 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees. According to the report, voting began in the morning and will continue without interruption until 5pm. More than 1.2 million registered voters are eligible to exercise their democratic right during this phase of the election.
Nine general constituencies in the Muzaffarabad Division are being contested. These include constituencies in the districts of Muzaffarabad, Neelum, and Jhelum Valley, where the total number of registered voters is 890,621.
A total of 208 candidates, representing the Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party, other political parties and independent groups, are contesting the nine territorial seats. For the 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees, 143 candidates are in the race, taking the total number of candidates contesting in the second phase to 351.
Strict security arrangements have been put in place at polling stations across the Muzaffarabad Division and at polling centres established throughout Pakistan for the refugee constituencies, to ensure that voting is conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner. It merits mention here that polling for the first phase was held on July 27 last.
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