AJK LG elections to be held in phases

MUZAFFARABAD: The regional chief election commissioner (CEC) Justice Retired Abdul Rashid Sulehria announced to hold local government (LG) elections in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in phases, ARY News reported on Monday.

AJK CEC Abdul Rashid Sulehria said in a statement that it is impossible to organise LG polls in a single day across the region due to the non-availability of security forces to maintain law and order.

While addressing a press conference, Sulehria said that the AJK LG elections will be held in phases. He said that the region’s election commission is receiving maximum assistance from the government.

READ: AJK SC ORDERS TO HOLD LG POLLS BY OCTOBER 15

He said the LG elections will be held in the Muzaffarabad division on November 27, whereas, another phase will be organised on December 3 in Poonch Division and in the Mirpur division, LG elections will be organised on December 8.

Earlier, the AJK CEC said that the commission will ensure transparency in the upcoming polls. He added that the government is providing maximum support to complete the arrangements for the upcoming polls.

Yesterday, AJK Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas ruled out postponement or the phased LG polls in the region and asked the election commission to fulfil it constitutional responsibility to organise polls as per the schedule.