Voters enthusiastically taking part in AJK polls, turnout to cross over 55pc: AJK CEC

AJK CEC hopeful of fair, transparent elections

MUZAFFARABAD (APP) – Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice (r) Abdul Rashid Sulehria on Sunday has expressed satisfaction over all the arrangements including security, finalized for elections in the area.

He said polling was underway peacefully at 99 percent polling stations as he has not received report of any major incident. All-out efforts would be made to ensure a transparent polling process in AJK, he further added. Chief Election Commissioner visited different polling stations accompanied with Member Election Commission Farhat Ali Mir and Raja Farooq Niaz. They checked the security and other arrangements at the polling station and expressed satisfaction over the arrangements and process of polling throughout the region. Talking to media at ‘Sehli Sarkar’ Polling Station, he said, the polling process for 33 Legislative Assembly seats in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) commenced at 8 AM and would continue till 5 PM without any break. He said, keeping in view the previous polling trends in AJK, this time the turn out could cross over 55 percent as voters were enthusiastically taking part in the polling process. The CEC said all the presiding officers had been directed to announce results at the spot after the conclusion of the counting, adding, results would be given to polling agents of the candidates on ‘Form 24’ duly signed by them. He informed that overall law and order situation was perfect and police had established control rooms at each district to monitor law and order situation, adding, election commission was monitoring the polling process through its central control room established at Muzaffarabad.