Government employees assigned election duties cast their ballots across most districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, completing an early-voting phase ahead of the Legislative Assembly elections scheduled for July 27.
Polling was conducted peacefully at designated centres, while voting for government employees in parts of Poonch and Sudhnoti districts was postponed because of security concerns. The Election Commission had earlier deferred polling in six of the seven constituencies in the two districts.
Chief Election Commissioner Justice retired Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, Senior Election Commission Member Khawaja Muhammad Ahsan, commission member Syed Nazir-ul-Hassan Gilani and Election Commission Secretary Raja Muhammad Shakeel Khan inspected several polling stations in Muzaffarabad.
The officials visited polling centres established at Ali Akbar Awan Higher Secondary School, Sohaili Sarkar School, the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Chehla Bandi campus and Degree College.
Mughal reviewed polling and security arrangements and told reporters that the general elections would be held on July 27 as scheduled.
“All arrangements for the elections have been completed,” he said, adding that the Election Commission would not allow any attempt to disrupt the electoral process.
He said comprehensive security arrangements had been made and expressed confidence that polling on election day would be conducted peacefully, as it had been during the voting for government employees.
The July 27 election schedule has also been confirmed in preparations being made for AJK voters living in different parts of Pakistan.
Mughal said government employees assigned election duties had been given the opportunity to exercise their right to vote before the general polling day.
Senior Election Commission Member Khawaja Muhammad Ahsan welcomed the participation of government employees in the initial phase of the election process.
He said the commission had completed security and administrative arrangements for the peaceful conduct of the elections and was fully prepared for polling on July 27.
Election Commission member Syed Nazir-ul-Hassan Gilani said arrangements for employees’ voting were satisfactory and polling staff had performed their duties diligently.
He said polling agents and voters had expressed satisfaction with the process and that the commission remained in contact with returning officers across AJK.
“No complaint has been received regarding the polling process,” Gilani said.
He said ballot boxes containing votes cast by government employees would be sealed and handed over to the relevant returning officers.
The ballots will not be counted separately. Their counting and results will be included with votes cast during the general elections on July 27.
Gilani said ballot papers had been delivered to returning officers and security would be provided to voters at polling stations on election day.
He said the Election Commission would announce a revised schedule within one or two days for employees’ polling in the affected constituencies of Rawalakot, Palandri and other areas where voting had been postponed.
The elections will determine the composition of the next Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, with election authorities maintaining that polling will proceed according to schedule despite recent security concerns.