The Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) said on Monday that the schedule for the upcoming general elections was expected to be announced in the ongoing week, after which electoral activities would formally begin.
The clarification came in a late-night press release, apparently issued in response to reports circulating on social media that attributed June 4 as the date for the announcement of the election schedule to Chief Election Commissioner retired Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal.
The claim, first shared by a digital media outlet, was subsequently reproduced by numerous social media users, prompting the election watchdog to issue a statement, though it made no direct reference to the reports.
“In accordance with the Constitution of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, general elections must be held within 60 days preceding the expiry of the Legislative Assembly's constitutional term,” the commission said.
It noted that the constitutional term of the incumbent assembly was calculated from Aug 3, 2021, when its first session was held.
The commission further said that under constitutional and legal requirements, the election schedule had to be issued at least 45 days before the expiry of the assembly's term to ensure the timely and orderly completion of the electoral process.
“Keeping these constitutional requirements in view, it is expected that the schedule for the general elections will be issued in the first week of June, after which electoral activities will formally commence,” a spokesperson for the commission said.
The spokesperson said the commission was finalising all necessary arrangements to ensure free, fair, transparent and impartial elections.
He added that coordination and consultations with relevant institutions were under way to ensure that the electoral process was completed smoothly and in accordance with constitutional and legal requirements.
Tariq Naqash
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