AJK reserved seats election: Polling set for August 24

The AJK reserved seats election will be held on August 24, with the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission announcing the schedule for polling in the Legislative Assembly.

The AJK reserved seats election will be held on August 24, with the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission announcing the schedule for polling in the Legislative Assembly.

According to the notification, voting will take place at the AJK Assembly from 10am to 1pm. The reserved seats include five for women, one for Ulema-e-Deen or Mashaikh, one for Jammu and Kashmir state subjects living abroad, and one for technocrats and other professionals.

Candidates will be able to submit their nomination papers on August 20 between 9am and 2pm. The returning officer will subsequently scrutinise the papers and publish the list of valid candidates.

Appeals against decisions on nomination papers can be filed on August 21. The Chief Election Commissioner will hear the appeals on August 22, while candidates can withdraw their nominations before 2pm on August 23.

The AJK Assembly has 53 members, including 45 directly elected members and eight members elected through reserved seats.

However, polling on seven directly elected seats could not take place because of law and order concerns. As a result, the reserved-seat election will initially be conducted by the 38 directly elected members elected so far.

The development comes as AJK’s three-phase electoral process continues amid political and security challenges.