MUZAFFARABAD: The first phase of the 2026 Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections is underway, with around 30,000 government employees casting their votes ahead of the general polling scheduled for July 27.
The early voting process is being held to enable government officials assigned election duties to exercise their constitutional right to vote before they are deployed at polling stations across the region.
Early Voting Underway
According to election authorities, government employees from eight districts are participating in the first phase of polling for the upcoming elections.
The AJK Legislative Assembly comprises 33 seats, with elections for 26 constituencies scheduled to take place on July 27, 2026.
Officials said the votes cast by government employees will be securely preserved and counted along with the ballots cast during the general election.
Special Polling Arrangements
For the early voting process, the offices of the District Returning Officers (DROs) have been designated as polling stations.
Election officials have established special arrangements to facilitate government employees while ensuring that the voting process remains transparent, orderly, and in accordance with electoral rules.
Tight Security Measures
Authorities have implemented comprehensive security arrangements for the polling process.
In addition to the local police, Frontier Corps (FC) personnel have been deployed at polling locations to maintain law and order and ensure the safety of voters and election staff.
Security agencies are monitoring polling stations throughout the day to help ensure the peaceful conduct of the election process.
More Than 3.36 Million Registered Voters
According to the Election Commission, a total of 3,365,839 registered voters will be eligible to cast their ballots in the July 27 elections.
The voter breakdown includes:
- Male voters: 1,753,933
- Female voters: 1,611,906
The elections will determine the composition of the next Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
Election Preparations Continue
As part of preparations for the polls, Chief Election Commissioner of Azad Kashmir Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal visited several polling stations to review arrangements and assess the readiness of election officials.
A day earlier, the Chief Election Commissioner dismissed rumors circulating about a possible postponement of the elections.
He stated that the reports were baseless and reaffirmed that the elections would be held on schedule.
Election authorities have urged voters to rely only on official announcements regarding the electoral process and avoid spreading or acting upon unverified information.
With early voting now underway, the Election Commission says all necessary administrative and security measures have been put in place to ensure that polling on July 27 is conducted in a peaceful, transparent, and orderly manner.
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