AJK completes repoll at 23 stations in two Bagh constituencies

Vote counting was underway on Saturday after polling ended at 23 stations in two constituencies of Azad Jammu and Kashmir's Bagh district.

The repoll was ordered after polling staff failed to reach the stations on August 10, leaving the results of both constituencies unresolved. The outcome is expected to settle contests left open since then.

Why was repolling held at 23 stations in Bagh?

Repolling was required after polling staff could not reach the 23 stations on August 10, preventing voting and prompting the Election Commission to withhold results in both constituencies. Voting on Saturday ran from 8am to 5pm at nine stations in LA-15 Bagh-2 and 14 stations in LA-16 Bagh-3.

The commission said no violence was reported, though voter turnout was low.

What are the vote margins in LA-15 and LA-16?

The delayed voting has added uncertainty to LA-15, where PPP's Sardar Ziaul Qamar had been leading with 16,637 votes. PML-N's Mushtaq Ahmed Minhas followed with 15,015 votes, while Jamaat-i-Islami's retired Brig Dr Muhammad Khan had 12,259.

The race in LA-16 was also unresolved, with PML-N's Sardar Mir Akbar holding 19,515 votes, a lead of 3,225 over PPP's Sardar Qamaruz Zaman.

The 14 stations in LA-16 have 7,238 registered voters, meaning the additional ballots could significantly affect the existing margin. Candidates across both constituencies have accused their rivals of manipulating the election, though these allegations have not been independently established.

What is the dispute over the prime minister's seat?

The wider election has also produced a dispute over the result in LA-17 Haveli, where the AJK Election Commission has notified Prime Minister Faisal Mumtaz Rathore as the returned candidate. The notification was issued Friday night after the returning officer declared Rathore the winner earlier in the week.

PML-N candidate Engr Mohsin Aziz has challenged the result, arguing the declaration was made despite assurances that his objections would be considered first. He filed a petition with the Election Commission, which heard arguments from both sides on Thursday. Chief Election Commissioner retired Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal reserved his ruling, and the commission said its decision would be announced at 5pm Saturday. The developments in Haveli and Bagh have kept several contests open even as the broader AJK election moves toward completion.

Which party is leading the AJK election so far?

PML-N has secured the largest share of seats in the election so far, winning 24 constituencies across the first two rounds. It took nine seats in Mirpur division on July 27 before winning another 15 in the August 2 phase covering Muzaffarabad division and the 12 refugee constituencies. PPP has won 10 seats in those two phases.

The final phase was originally planned for all 11 constituencies in Poonch division. Security concerns led the Election Commission to restrict Monday's voting to Bagh and Haveli, leaving constituencies in Poonch and Sudhnoti out of that day's schedule. Results in Bagh's two affected constituencies were kept pending because voting had not taken place at the 23 stations.