AJK by-polls: Voting underway for Mirpur, Kotli seats

MIRPUR: Voting for two seats of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly is smoothly underway amid strict security measures.

The polling process began at 8am and is expected to continue till  5pm without any pause. Various political parties have locked horns to sway the voters to their cause in the by-elections today.

People are exercising their right to vote in the LA-3 Mirpur and LA-12 Kotli Charhoi constituencies in Azad Kashmir's Mirpur district.

The LA-3 became vacant after PTI’s Barrister Sultan Mahmood was sworn in as AJK president while the LA-12 fell vacant after PPP’s Chaudhry Mohammad Yasin, who had won from two constituencies of Kotli district, retained his membership from the other seat.

In the LA-12 constituency, 198 polling stations have been established for 106,428 registered voters. Out of these, 101 have been declared highly sensitive and 36 as sensitive. As many as 14 candidates are contesting elections from this constituency.

Strict security measures have been taken in the constituency to ensure elections are held peacefully. Army troops have been deployed in the area; the army will act as a quick response force when needed.

Authorities have set up 148 polling stations for 85,917 registered voters in the LA-3 concurrency.

A tough competition is expected between the PML-N’s Chaudhry Muhammad Saeed, the PTI’s Yasir Sultan Chaudhry and the PPP’s Chaudhry Muhammad Ashraf in the constituency.