Polls underway for 7 reserved seats in AJK Legislative Assembly today

Elections for seven reserved seats in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly are underway today. Polling took place within the designated time frame of 10am to 1pm. The Legislative Assembly is composed of 53 members, with 45 elected directly by adult franchise and eight chosen by directly elected representatives. The reserved seats cater to five women, Ulema-i-Din or Mashaikh, Jammu and Kashmir State subjects residing abroad, and technocrats and other professionals.

PML-N's Chaudhry Abdul Rehman Arain secured his seat for the reserved seat representing state subjects residing abroad without opposition. However, elections for five reserved seats for women, Ulema and Mashaikh, and technocrats and professionals could not be conducted due to the law and order situation in the region. The Election Commission finalized a list of six candidates for the five women's reserved seats.

Meanwhile, Hafiz Tariq Mahmood from the PPP and Mohammad Mazhar Saeed from the PML-N will contest the reserved seat for Ulema and Mashaikh, while PML-N's Barrister Syed Iftikhar Gillani and PPP's Sahibzada Zulfiqar Ali will contest the reserved seat for technocrats and professionals. As the new Legislative Assembly's inauguration is scheduled for Monday at 2pm, all newly elected members will swear their oath before outgoing Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar, who lost his seat in the elections.

The PPP has accused the ruling PML-N of rigging the polls and has demanded accountability in the election process amid ongoing disputes between the two parties.