First phase covers Mirpur Division’s 13 constituencies comprising 4 seats in Mirpur, 3 in Bhimber, 6 in Kotli
Over 1.4 million voters head to the polls as the first phase of the AJK election begins. PHOTO: EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
Voting for the first phase of the 2026 Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections began peacefully across Mirpur division on Monday, with more than 1.4 million voters expected to cast their votes under elaborate security arrangements involving over 19,000 security personnel and thousands of election officials.
The election will be held in three phases as per a revised schedule announced by AJK Chief Election Commissioner Ghulam Mustafa Mughal on July 21. The first phase covers all 13 constituencies of Mirpur Division, while polling in Muzaffarabad Division and the 12 refugee constituencies will be held on August 2, followed by Augusta Pokotonch Division.
Voting started at 8.00 and will continue uninterrupted until 5:00 p.m., with police, Pakistan Army, Rangers and other law enforcement personnel deployed at polling stations to ensure a peaceful election process.
More than 1.4 million registered voters are eligible to vote across Mirpur Division’s 13 constituencies, comprising four seats in Mirpur district, three in Bhimber and six in Kotli. The Election Commission has established 2,454 polling stations and 3,701 polling stations, while around 22,000 election officials have been deployed to conduct the voting process.
The authorities have declared 1,965 polling stations as sensitive or very sensitive. To maintain law and order, more than 19,000 security personnel have been deployed across the division, including 17,000 policemen, while 2,100 army troops remain on standby as a backup force.
Read: Over 17,000 security personnel deployed as AJK poll begins today
In LA-1 Dadyal constituency, polling got under way in a peaceful atmosphere amid enhanced security arrangements. According to the Election Commission, 105,174 registered voters – including 53,211 men and 51,963 women – are eligible to cast their vote in the constituency.
The Election Commission has established 139 polling stations and 234 polling stations in LA-1 Dadyal. Local authorities have declared all 139 polling stations sensitive, with security personnel deployed throughout the constituency.
A total of 288 candidates are contesting the 13 Legislative Assembly seats in Mirpur Division. As in previous elections, the main contests are expected to be between Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and, in some constituencies, influential independent candidates.
The elections are conducted under the supervision of the AJK Election Commission, with security and civil authorities monitoring the voting process across the region.
