AJK Assembly Elections 2026: Polling Underway in Bagh, Haveli
MUZAFFARABAD:Polling is underway in four constituencies across the Bagh and Haveli districts of Poonch Division as the third phase of the 2026 Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections gets underway.
Under the revised schedule, voting is being held in three constituencies of Bagh and one constituency of Haveli. Elections in seven other constituencies — five in Poonch and two in Sudhnoti districts — have been postponed.
Polling began at 8 a.m. and will continue without interruption until 5 p.m.
The four constituencies have attracted significant attention as the heads of two major political parties, Muslim Conference and Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), along with former prime ministers Sardar Attique Khan and Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, are contesting the elections. AJK Prime Minister Faisal Rathore is also among the candidates.
According to the Chief Election Commissioner, around 460,000 registered voters are eligible to cast their ballots in the four constituencies. Security arrangements have been completed across all polling areas.
In the first phase of the 2026 AJK elections, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won nine of the 13 seats in Mirpur Division, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) secured four.
In the second phase, polling was held for nine seats in Muzaffarabad Division and 12 seats reserved for refugees. The PML-N won 15 seats, while the PPP secured six.
Of the AJK Legislative Assembly’s 45 seats, the PML-N currently leads with 24 seats, followed by the PPP with 10.
