MUZAFFARABAD: The Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Monday announced the schedule for the presidential election in AJK, fixing Aug 17 for the polling.

According to the schedule, nomination papers for the president’s office will be filed before the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) in his office in Muzaffarabad from 10am to 12noon on Aug 12, to be scrutinised by the commission the same day.

Withdrawal of nomination papers can take place until 11:30am on August 16 while voting will be held on August 17 from 10am to 2pm.

Before the 13th constitutional amendment approved by the PML-N dominated previous assembly in 2018, the electoral college of the AJK president comprised the members of the AJK Legislative Assembly and the AJK Council.

However, while the amendment stripped the Council of its financial and executive powers, it also omitted the six indirectly elected council members from the president’s electoral college.

Subsequently, the new ceremonial head of the state will be elected on Aug 17 only by the Assembly members, two of whom are yet to take oath of office.

AJK Council polls

Meanwhile, on Monday the Election Commission also announced schedule for the election of four vacant seats of the AJK Council.

These seats had fallen vacant in May this year after the expiry of the five-year term of Pervaiz Malick, Akhtar Pervez Awan, Mir Mohammad Younis and Mukhtar Abbasi.

The council members are elected by the AJK Assembly members in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.

According to the schedule, nomination papers will be filed before the returning officer on Aug 14, from 9am to 2pm while scrutiny of nominations will be held the same day after 2pm.

Appeals against acceptance or rejection of nomination papers can be filed in the election commission between 9am and 12:30pm on Aug 16, which will be heard between 9am and 12:30pm on Aug 21 and decisions will be announced the same day between 1pm and 4pm.

Candidates can withdraw their nominations before 11:30am on Aug 22 following which the final list of the contesting candidates will be published before 2pm.

Voting will be held on Aug 23 in the assembly hall between 10am and 2pm and counting of votes will start immediately after the close of polling.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2021