AJK elections: PPP-backed independent candidate wins LA-6 re-poll
An independent candidate backed by the PPP has won the election in LA-6 Bhimber.
Ali Shan Soni secured 31,360 votes while his opponent, a nominee of the Muslim League-N bagged 17,676 votes. Soni raised the strength of independent candidates in the legislative assembly to two.
The election was marred by clashes between the supporters of the winning candidate Ali Shan Soni and Raja Razzaq Khan, despite the deployment of army and paramilitary troops along with the police.
ML-N activists allegedly attempted to bring in 10,000 fake ballot papers, while they also attempted to snatch ballot boxes after the completion of polling stations.
Election results of 50 polling stations in the constituency were cancelled on
June 26, after the polling staff was thrashed and
ballet boxes were snatched and set on fire after clashes between the supporters of independent candidate Ali Shan Soni and Raja Razzaq Khan.
Elections on LA-17 Poonch-1 , LA-16 Bagh-4 and LA-15 Bagh-3 will be held on July 18,20 and 15 respectively while elections on four refugee constituencies LA-30 Jammu-1, LA-36 Valley-1, LA-41 Valley-6 and LA-37 Valley-2 falling in Karachi (La-30,36) , K-P and Lahore will be held on July-20.
Election schedule for reserved seats
Meanwhile, the AJK Election Commission has issued the polling scheduled for eight reserved seats in the Legislative Assembly.
Elections for five women, one technocrat, one overseas Kashmiri, and one Ulemah/ Mushikh seat will be held on July 24, and nomination papers for the reserved seats will be accepted on July 21.
The results of the reserved seat elections will be announced on July 24.
The 41 assembly members will vote for the election of these eight members.
Pertinently, on Wednesday the AJK High Court will take up the MQM parliamentary leader Tahir Khokhar writ petition, filed against any change in the polling scheme of LA-30 and LA-36 in Karachi.
MQM parliamentary leader Tahir Khokhar requested the apex court to direct the AJK election commission not to make any changes in the polling plan for the two constituencies.
There are 12 electoral constituencies in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly reserved for refugees from Indian Jammu and Kashmir settled in the four provinces of Pakistan.
A full bench of the AJK High Court, headed by Chief Justice Mustafa Mughal, will hear the petition.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 13th, 2011.
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Come on, Sir. The elections in LA-41, Valley 6, are underway right now. But you say, they'll take place on 20th. Don't write about things that you don't know.