By Our Correspondent
MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Election Commission has announced that the 2026 AJK Legislative Assembly elections will now be conducted in three phases, replacing the previously announced single-day polling schedule.
Chief Election Commissioner Ghulam Mustafa Mughal said Mirpur Division will go to the polls on July 27, followed by Muzaffarabad Division on August 2, while Poonch Division will vote on August 10.
The revised schedule supersedes the earlier election plan under which polling across all constituencies was scheduled for July 27, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Over 1,260 candidates in the race
According to election officials, 1,265 candidates have submitted nomination papers for 45 constituencies, including 33 territorial seats in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 12 Kashmiri refugee constituencies.
Of the total, 1,047 candidates are contesting the 33 seats within AJK, while 218 candidates have filed nomination papers for the 12 refugee constituencies.
The Election Commission said scrutiny of nomination papers has been completed in all constituencies, with 41 nomination papers rejected on legal grounds.
Nearly 3.8 million voters to cast ballots
Election authorities have finalised extensive polling arrangements for the elections.
A total of 6,983 polling stations and 10,913 polling booths will be established for 3,804,368 registered voters across Azad Jammu and Kashmir and refugee constituencies.
Within AJK, 3,365,685 voters will cast their ballots at 5,926 polling stations. The electorate comprises approximately 52% male and 48% female voters.
Twenty-two political parties contesting polls
The Election Commission said 22 political parties are participating in the elections.
However, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced a boycott of the elections in support of ongoing protests in the region. The party said it would not participate in what it described as “politics of power” that ignores the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) have entered into an electoral alliance. Under the agreement, the PPP has left LA-14 (Bagh-I) and LA-23 (Poonch and Sudhanoti-VI) for JUI-F candidates while contesting the remaining 43 constituencies.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has fielded 44 candidates, while Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) is contesting 38 seats. The All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference and Jamaat-e-Islami have each nominated 36 candidates, Pakistan National Party (PNP) is contesting 14 seats, and Jammu Kashmir People’s Party (JKPP) has entered nine constituencies.
Election campaigns intensify
Political activity has accelerated across Azad Jammu and Kashmir, with major parties holding public meetings, rallies, and corner gatherings ahead of polling.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has been leading his party’s election campaign in the region since arriving in AJK on July 14.
Meanwhile, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif is scheduled to address a public rally in Muzaffarabad on July 21, followed by another rally in Mirpur on July 24, as campaigning gathers momentum before voting begins.
Why it matters
The decision to hold the AJK elections in three phases is expected to facilitate election management, improve security arrangements, and ensure smoother polling across the region. The outcome of the elections will determine the composition of the 45-member Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, a key institution responsible for governance in the territory.
