MIRPUR (AJK): Oct 10 (APP):Amidst thin turn-out as compared to the general elections, the by-elections at Mirpur LA-3, Mirpur-III and Charhoi LA-12 Kotli-V seats of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly were held on Sunday in a free, fair and peaceful atmosphere.
The seat of LA-3, Mirpur-III had fallen vacant due to Barrister Sultan Mahamood Choudhry’s election as AJK President who had won this seat as nominee of PTI in July 25 general elections.
Similarly, LA-12 (Charhoi) Kotli-V had fallen vacant due to the resignation of Ch.Muhammad Yasin from one out of two seats he had won in the July 25 general elections – simultaneously from Kotli city and Charhoi constituencies.
A total of 12 candidates, belonging to various political parties and independents, are in the run to contest by-elections in Mirpur-III, LA-3 constituency of AJK Legislative Assembly. Likewise a total of 14 candidates have jumped into the arena to contest the polls in electoral constituency of LA-12 (Charhoi) Kotli-V.
Mirpur LA-3 Mirpur-III constituency, contains a total of 85925 registered voters including 45447 male and 40478 female voters – of whom a thin number reportedly reached to the polling stations to exercise their right of franchise to elect their representative to the State Legislative Assembly for next 05 years constitutional term of the Legislative Assembly, lower house of the AJK Parliament.
A total of 147 polling stations including 68 for males, 65 for females and 14 combined were established in Mirpur LA-3 Mirpur-III constituency to facilitate the voters to use their right of vote in the polls.
Similarly in LA- LA-12 Kotli- V constituency, a total of 106428 voters including 57838 male and 48590 female were registered to exercise their right to elect their representative for AJK LA.
The polling started at 8:00 a.m. and continued till the stipulated 5:00 p.m. without any pause. A thin turn-out of voters was found exercising their right to elect their representative to the incumbent State Legislative Assembly for rest of its constitutional period.
AJK Chief Election Commissioner Abdul Rasheed Sulehriya, Senior Member AJK Election Commission Raja Farooq Niaz, District Returning Officer / District and Session Judge Faisal Majeed, Commissioner Mirpur Division Ch. Muhammad Raqeeb, DIG Police Mirpur Div. Chaudhry Sajad Hussain , Deputy Commissioner Bader Muneer, Senior Superintendent Police Raja Irfan Salim, Assistant Election Commissioner Mirpur district Arshad Hussain and other officials of the district administration closely monitored the election process throughout the day by visiting scores of the polling stations.
“The polling held in absolutely free, fair and peaceful atmosphere and there is no any report of any disturbance or major incident from any polling stations in both of the constituencies,” said Commissioner Mirpur Division Chaudhry Muhammad Raqeeb who, along with Deputy Inspector General Police Mirpur Division Ch. Sajaad Hussain, visited various polling stations in both of the constituencies.
The divisional commissioner said that the local Divisional and district administrations had made adequate arrangements to maintain peace and order to ensure holding of the polls in free, fair and peaceful environment.
To a question, the commissioner said that since ensuring the holding of the election in peaceful and transparent environment was the basic responsibility of the divisional and district administrations.
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