Daily Times

Polling in the second phase of the local government (LG) elections in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), except for a few minor incidents at some polling stations, ended peacefully on Saturday trending with a very high turnover in four districts of Poonch division.

This was said by Divisional Commissioner Ansar Yaqoob while talking to APP via telephone.

“Polling continued from 8:00am am to 5:00pm without any interval and long queues of voters were witnessed at polling stations showing much interest of people in elections,” he added. Yaqoob said minor quarrels were reported from a polling station of Khursheedabad in Haveeli district and another polling station at Namnota Lower near Khaigala Town of Rawalakot tehsil where the law enforcing officials overcome the situation very soon.

According to AJK Election Commission, more than one million voters had used their right of franchise in four districts of the Poonch division namely 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 08.

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 the local police officials was deployed at polling stations to maintain security and law and order during the polling,” said Senior Member AJK Election Commission Raja Farooq Niaz.

He said like the first phase, the second phase of polling was also concluded peacefully as the people of the region were literate and brotherhood exist in all the areas. He appreciated the role of dignitaries from the society and local administrations in conducting peaceful polling. He said election results would be announced at the central control room established by the commission at Muzaffarabad after receiving official results from returning officers.