Polling has begun across 13 constituencies in Mirpur Division as more than 1.4 million voters cast ballots under heightened security in the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections.
The first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections began on Sunday across the Mirpur Division, with authorities deploying more than 19,000 security personnel to ensure peaceful and transparent polling.
Voting is taking place in the districts of Mirpur, Bhimber, and Kotli, where election officials confirmed that polling materials had been delivered to all designated stations before the start of voting. Polling is scheduled to continue from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
AJK Chief Secretary Khushal Khan and Election Commission Secretary Raja Muhammad Shakeel reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to conducting free, fair, and transparent elections. They urged voters to exercise their democratic right responsibly and warned that strict legal action would be taken against anyone attempting to disrupt the electoral process or create law and order issues.
Authorities also advised citizens and political workers to avoid sharing or relying on unverified information circulating on social media and to fully comply with the election code of conduct.
Security has been significantly strengthened across the three districts. Mirpur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Khurram Iqbal said a comprehensive three-tier security strategy has been implemented to protect voters, polling staff, and election infrastructure. Polling stations have been categorized as highly sensitive, sensitive, or normal, with security resources allocated according to risk assessments.
The Mirpur Division has been divided into 56 security sectors, each supervised by a deputy superintendent of police. Monitoring units, rapid-response teams, and additional contingency forces remain on standby throughout the polling process to respond to any emergency.
More than 1.4 million registered voters are eligible to vote in the first phase across 13 constituencies. Election authorities have established 2,454 polling stations with 3,701 polling booths, while approximately 3,500 election officials are overseeing polling operations.
Of the 2,454 polling stations, 1,965 have been classified as sensitive or highly sensitive. The security deployment includes around 17,000 police personnel, supported by approximately 2,100 army personnel available as a reserve force if required.
A total of 288 candidates are contesting the 13 assembly seats. The main electoral contest is expected to feature the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), alongside several prominent independent candidates.
The AJK Legislative Assembly elections are being conducted in three phases. Following Sunday’s voting in the Mirpur Division, the second phase will be held in Muzaffarabad on August 2, while the final phase in Poonch is scheduled for August 10.
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