AJ.KASHMIR: The Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) has officially announced that general elections for the Legislative Assembly will be held on July 27, 2026, and has released the full electoral timetable.
According to the election schedule, polling across all constituencies will take place from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Candidates seeking to contest the elections can submit their nomination papers between June 9 and June 19.
The scrutiny process for nomination papers is set for June 20, when the initial list of approved candidates will also be published. Candidates wishing to challenge the acceptance or rejection of nominations may file appeals from June 21 to June 24.
The Election Commission will hear appeals on June 26 and June 27, with final decisions expected between June 28 and June 29. Contestants will have until June 30 to withdraw their candidacies.
A complete list of candidates remaining in the race will be released on July 1, while election symbols will be allocated and officially published on July 2.
Election authorities stated that the notification takes immediate effect and that all preparations for the polls will be carried out in line with the announced schedule.
Separately, the AJK Legislative Assembly approved a resolution reaffirming the continuation of 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees. The resolution described refugee representation as both a constitutional and historical requirement.
Lawmakers maintained that any reforms needed to improve the electoral process or address concerns raised by political stakeholders should be undertaken through the Legislative Assembly. The resolution also stressed that constitutional amendments fall within the authority of elected representatives.
Furthermore, the assembly called for broad-based consultations involving political parties, legal bodies, civil society representatives and constitutional experts to ensure consensus on any future electoral reforms.
