National ( The cow news digital ) Polling for the first phase of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly Elections 2026 is under way across 13 constituencies in the Mirpur Division, comprising the Mirpur, Kotli, and Bhimber districts.
Voting commenced at 8:00 AM and is scheduled to continue uninterrupted until 5:00 PM. Election officials confirmed that all logistical preparations have been finalized, with electoral materials distributed to polling staff under strict security protocols to ensure a peaceful voting process.
A total of 1,401,439 registered voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in this phase, including 725,118 male voters and 675,628 female voters. To facilitate polling, authorities have established 2,454 polling stations across the division—597 in Mirpur district’s four constituencies, 1,107 across Kotli district’s six constituencies, and 608 in Bhimber district’s three constituencies.
A competitive race is under way as 296 candidates from key political parties—including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP)—alongside independent contenders, vie for seats across the 13 constituencies.
Chief Election Commissioner AJK, Justice (Retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, warned that strict legal action will be taken against anyone attempting to disrupt the voting process. Echoing these sentiments, AJK Chief Secretary Khushal Khan stated that state institutions are fully prepared to maintain order, asserting that the public has shown faith in the democratic process over disruptive elements.
Meanwhile, political friction surrounding the polls remains high. PPP leader Sharjeel Memon alleged that political rivals engaged in pre-poll manipulation by dispatching buses a day prior to the vote. Countering opposition claims, PML-N leader Marriyum Aurangzeb stated that public sentiment in Muzaffarabad strongly favors PML-N following visits by party leaders Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz.
