Election campaigning for the second phase of the 2026 Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections ended on Saturday, with the AJK Election Commission completing preparations for polling scheduled on Sunday.
Voting will take place in nine general constituencies of Muzaffarabad Division, along with 12 reserved constituencies for Kashmiri refugees residing in different parts of Pakistan.
A closely fought contest is expected between the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
According to the Election Commission, 208 candidates are contesting the nine general seats in Muzaffarabad Division, while 143 candidates are in the race for the refugee seats. More than 1.2 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots.
Security arrangements have also been finalised. The Commission said eight police personnel will be deployed at highly sensitive polling stations, six at sensitive stations, and four at normal polling stations.
The second phase comes amid political controversy following the first round of voting. Earlier, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called for open hearings into all complaints of alleged rigging, saying the credibility of the elections would depend on the fairness, transparency and impartiality of the electoral process.