Second phase of AJK LG polls concludes peacefully

MUZAFFARABAD: Polling in the second phase of local government (LG) elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, except for a few minor incidents at some polling stations, ended peacefully on Saturday showing a very high turnover in four districts of Poonch Division. “Polling continued from 8am to 5pm without any interval and long queues of voters were witnessed at polling stations, showing much interest of people in elections,” Divisional Commissioner Ansar Yaqoob told APP.

Yaqoob said that minor quarrels were reported from a polling station of Khursheedabad in Haveli district and another polling station at Namnota Lower near Khaigala Town of Rawalakot tehsil where the law enforcing officials controlled the situation soon.

According to AJK Election Commission, more than one million voters used their right of franchise in four districts of the Poonch Division – Sudhanoti, Bagh, Poonch (Rawalakot) and Haveli – to elect 875 councillors of local bodies on general seats.

The first phase of LG elections was held on November 27 in three districts of Muzaffarabad Division while the third phase will be held in three districts of southern Mirpur Division of the region on December 8.

Overall, 1,859 polling stations and 2,697 polling booths had been set up for 875 seats of local councils, including union councils, district councils, town committees, municipal committees and municipal corporations.

“More than 5,000 additional security personnel had been deputed from Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa police while almost the same strength of local police officials was deployed at polling stations,” said senior member AJK Election Commission Raja Farooq Niaz.

Niaz said that election results would be announced at the central control room established by the commission in Muzaffarabad after receiving official results from returning officers.