MUZAFFARABAD, Sept 25: The by-election in LA-25 Muzaffarabad-III is being held on Monday and the government has declared Monday a local holiday to enable around 74,000 registered voters to exercise their right of franchise. AJK Election Commission has made fool proof arrangements for the by-poll. From the security point of view the constituency has been divided into two zones, four circles and 19 sectors, each headed by SSP, SP, and inspector respectively, to ensure peaceful polling.

An official said that 142 polling stations had been established in the constituency.

Nine candidates, including one woman, are contesting the election, six of them on the tickets of different political parties and the remaining three as independent.

Key contestants among them are Syed Murtaza Gillani (the Muslim Conference), Mohammad Hanif Awan (the People’s Party) and Ms Sabira Gillani (independent).

Ms Gillani was a candidate for the MC ticket but the party gave ticket to Mr Murtaza on the intervention of party president Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan. It caused resentment among many party leaders and workers, including Prime Minister Sardar Sikandar Hayat.

On Sunday, the AJK premier could not hide his disagreement to award of ruling party’s ticket to Mr Murtaza when this correspondent asked him, on the sidelines of a function, as to who of the two candidates belonging to the MC enjoyed his support.

“Yes I support the ticket holder (Mr Murtaza) but that does not mean I am opposing Ms Gillani.

Her husband was our colleague and she deserved the party ticket and, in fact, the party’s parliamentary board had also decided in her favour,” the PM said.

The seat, it may be recalled here, had fallen vacant after the death of Ms Gillani’s husband Syed Mumtaz Ali Gillani early last month who was serving as senior minister.