Polling for 38 seats of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections will be held on Sunday (today) without participation of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has decided to boycott the elections in protest against postponement of polls in LA-30, LA-36 and LA-41.
According to the final list issued by the Election Commission (EC), the total number of voters is 30,17,816. Some 5,559 polling stations have been set up besides 6,448 booths. As many as 4,351 presiding officers, 6,448 polling officers and 12,896 polling assistants have also been appointed to supervise the election.
Meanwhile, the Muzaffarabad High Court (MHC) has postponed elections on three constitutional assembly seats in LA-30, LA-36 and LA-41 constituencies of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Citizens of LA-41 constituency appealed to Muzaffarabad High Court that their names have been removed from the voters' list. They demanded that their names should be included back in the list.
As a consequence, court has deferred voting in the constituency. Elections in LA-30 Karachi Jammu 1 and LA-36 Karachi Kashmir Valley 1 have also been postponed. Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Deputy Convenor of MQM Dr Farooq Sattar said that it was unconstitutional to postpone polling in three constitutional seats.
According to AJK Election Commission all arrangements for elections have been finalised. Para-military troops including Rangers, Punjab constabulary, Khyber Pakthunkhawa police and Gilgit-Baltistan Scouts landed in ten districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to ensure peaceful atmosphere on the election day. Friday was the last day of election campaign. All the candidates spent a hectic day for canvassing the voters.
According to Election Commission (EC) total number of candidates contesting election from 29 constituencies in Azad Jammu and Kashmir is 308. The Punjab Election Commission has also finalised all arrangements. Twenty-two candidates are in the field to contest election in two seats LA-30 and LA-37 in Lahore.
Around 19,000 Lahore-based Kashmiris would exercise their right of vote. According to Election Commission, 12 candidates are contesting the election for LA-30 (Jammu). 12,500 registered voters would cast their votes for the constituency of LA-30. The Election Commission has set up 32 polling booths including six for men, six for women and twenty for both. For the constituency of LA-37 (Kashmir Valley), 6,500 Kashmiris will cast their votes for AJK Legislative Assembly Elections.