Voting began Monday in four constituencies across the Bagh and Haveli districts for the third phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections [1, 2, 3].
These elections determine the composition of the regional assembly and the subsequent leadership of the territory, making the turnout and security of this phase critical for the political transition.
Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. and are scheduled to remain open until 5 p.m. [1, 2, 3]. A total of 803 polling stations were established to accommodate 460,371 eligible voters [1].
The electoral contest features a high-profile field of candidates. Reports indicate between 72 [2] and 82 [4] candidates are contesting the seats, a group that includes the incumbent prime minister and two former premiers [2].
Security remains a priority for the Election Commission. To ensure order during the process, officials deployed 10,300 additional police personnel to support the regular police forces in both districts [1].
This phase follows a recent change in the electoral calendar. The AJK Election Commission revised the third-phase plan earlier this month, which resulted in the deferral of voting in the Sudhanoti and Poonch districts [3].
Despite the deferrals in other areas, voting proceeded as planned in the Poonch Division's Bagh and Haveli districts on Monday [1]. The commission is overseeing the process to ensure the completion of the scheduled assembly elections [1, 2].
“"Apart from the regular police of both districts, we have dispatched an additional 10,300"”
The deferral of voting in Poonch and Sudhanoti indicates logistical or security challenges facing the Election Commission, potentially delaying the finalization of the assembly. However, the heavy deployment of over 10,000 additional police in Bagh and Haveli suggests a preemptive effort to prevent volatility in a high-stakes race involving multiple former and current heads of government.
