AJK polls set for July 27 as Election Commission issues schedule
Why this matters: local context for readers following news across Pakistan and the region.
The Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has announced holding general elections on July 27, 2026. According to the notified election schedule, voting for all constituencies of the AJK Legislative Assembly will be conducted from 8 am to 5 pm on polling day. The schedule states that candidates can file their nomination papers with returning officers between June 9 and June 19. Scrutiny of nomination documents will be carried out on June 20, the same day the preliminary list of candidates with accepted nomination papers will be published. Candidates wishing to challenge the acceptance or rejection of nomination papers may submit appeals to the Election Commission from June 21 to June 24. Hearings on these appeals are scheduled for June 26 and June 27, while final rulings will be issued between June 28 and June 29. Candidates may withdraw their nomination papers by June 30. The official list of contesting candidates will be released on July 1, while election symbols will be assigned on July 2. The final candidate list, including allotted election symbols, will also be issued on July 2. The Election Commission said the notification takes immediate effect and added that all preparations for the polls would be completed in line with the announced schedule. Separately, the AJK Legislative Assembly approved a resolution to retain 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees. The resolution described refugee representation as both a constitutional and historical matter. It stated that any reforms needed to address electoral concerns and make the system more acceptable to political parties could be introduced through the assembly. It further maintained that constitutional amendments fall within the authority of elected representatives and should remain under the jurisdiction of the Legislative Assembly. The resolution also called for consultations with political parties, bar associations, the bar council, civil society members and constitutional experts.