AJK all set to hold general elections in July

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission (AJKEC) has finalised all arrangements to hold general elections in the month of July.

"Making necessary arrangements for organising the general elections 2021 of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly (AJKLA) in pursuant to Article 22(4) of the AJK Interim Constitution 1974 and the election laws for the time being in force,” AJKEC member Farhat Ali Mir said while talking to journalists in Muzaffarabad on Monday.

The general election shall be held within a period of 60 days immediately preceding the day on which five years term of the assembly is due to expire latest by July 29, he added

Mir also said that they already made preparations and in this regard, electoral rolls of 33 constituencies located within the limits of AJK have been printed. While electoral rolls for 12 seats of Jammu and Kashmir refugees settled in Pakistan shall be published before June 1.

He said that all necessary arrangements have been finalised for holding of the forthcoming polls within the constitutional time-frame.

“The executive authorities of AJK government have been advised to provide administrative, financial and logistic support to the AJKEC on an emergency basis as envisaged by the Constitution and election laws without any slightest lapse on their part,: he said, adding, “The timeline for holding election 2021 is expressively determined under the provisions of the AJK Interim Constitution 1974 which shall be followed.”

The AJKEC member went on to say that there is absolutely no provision or a chance to cause a delay in organising the election beyond the Constitutional timeline and framework, and such cannot be done in any case in view of sacrosanct provisions of the Constitution and the election laws.

“All is set to carry on process and to conduct election within the constitutional timeline. If any confusion or speculation contrary to the aforesaid constitutional provisions is spread through different means of communication including social media should be avoided in the best of public interest and supremacy of the Constitution.”

Amongst many precautionary measures to maintain law and order situation, he said, the AJKEC has categorically advised that chief secretary and other executive authorities should immediately request to the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) for enhancing the vaccination campaign within AJK to “ensure that the masses should stay protected while assembling at the polling stations”.

The AJKEC further decided to increase the number of polling stations due to the fear of Covid-19 spread and directed that SOPs shall be followed in the letter and spirit, the member of AJKEC also said.