MUZAFFARABAD: Polling for the second phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections commenced on Sunday across Muzaffarabad division and all 12 refugee constituencies, with voters casting their ballots to elect representatives for 21 seats.
Voting began at 8:00am and is scheduled to continue uninterrupted until 5:00pm. Election authorities have urged voters to exercise their democratic right peacefully, while security personnel have been deployed at polling stations to ensure a smooth electoral process.
The second phase covers nine constituencies in Muzaffarabad division, comprising five seats in Muzaffarabad district and two each in Neelum and Jhelum Valley districts. A total of 207 candidates are competing for these seats.
Polling is also taking place in all 12 refugee constituencies, which include six seats representing refugees from the Kashmir Valley and six representing refugees from the Jammu region. Another 137 candidates are contesting these constituencies, taking the total number of candidates in the second phase to 344.
According to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission, Muzaffarabad division has more than 809,000 registered voters. To facilitate polling, 1,483 polling stations have been established across the division, with 533 categorised as highly sensitive, 741 as sensitive and 209 as normal.
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For the refugee constituencies, the electorate comprises more than 438,000 registered voters. A total of 1,057 polling stations have been established across Pakistan to facilitate voting for people registered in the 12 refugee constituencies of the AJK Legislative Assembly.
In Rawalpindi and Islamabad alone, around 27,000 registered voters are eligible to cast ballots for three refugee seats. Authorities have established 175 polling stations in the two cities, while enhanced security arrangements have been put in place at locations identified as sensitive.
The AJK elections are being conducted in phases, with the outcome expected to shape the political landscape of the region for the next legislative term.
The first phase of the AJK general elections was held on July 27, 2026, across the Mirpur division, covering constituencies in the districts of Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber. Polling remained largely peaceful despite isolated incidents and allegations of irregularities.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won nine out of the 13 constituencies in the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections.
