2022 AJK local government elections explained
| Election Name: | 2022 AJK local government elections |
| Type: | legislative |
| Country: | Pakistan |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Year: | 1991 |
| Election Date: | 27 November 2022 |
| Next Year: | TBA |
| Seats For Election: | 2614 seats (272 district councils + 132 Municipal corporation + 53 Town committee + 77 Municipal committee + 2080 Union council) |
| Leader Since1: | 18 April 2022 |
| Leader1: | Sardar Tanveer Ilyas |
| Party1: | Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf |
| Seats1: | 830 |
| Leader Since2: | 2 July 2022 |
| Leader2: | Shah Ghulam Qadir |
| Party2: | Pakistan Muslim League (N) |
| Seats2: | 497 |
| Leader Since3: | 24 March 2017 |
| Leader3: | Chaudhry Latif Akbar |
| Party3: | Pakistan Peoples Party |
|
| Seats3: | 460 |
Local government elections were held in Azad Jammu and Kashmir on 27 November (Muzaffarabad division), 3 December 2022 (Poonch division) and 8 December 2022 (Mirpur division) in three phases. These local government elections were the first ones in more than three decades.[1] The results were declared for each of the three phases on their respective voting days. The elections will be held under the supervision of Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
In phase I elections were held in the Muzaffarabad division's three districts of Muzaffarabad, Neelum, and Jhelum Valley. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) became largest party in first phase by leading in two of the three districts followed by Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML(N)), which were the 2nd and 3rd largest parties respectively. Voting began at 8:00 am and ran until 5:00 pm without any interruption.[2]
In phase II elections were held in the Poonch division's four districts of Poonch, Haveli, Bagh and Sudhanoti. According to results from the second round of the local government elections, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was in the lead with 259 seats. Following the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 139 seats and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP)) took third position with 125 seats. Voting began at 8:00 am and ran until 5:00 pm without any interruption.[3] [4] [5]
In phase III elections were held in the Mirpur division's three districts of Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber. According to results from the third round of the local government elections, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was in the lead with 374 seats. Following the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 231 seats and the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) took third position with 140 seats. Voting began at 8:00 am and ran until 5:00 pm without any interruption.[6] [7]
Background
The Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir ordered the three-phase election in the mountainous region, which is being held after at least a 31-year hiatus.[8] Part of the reason for this is that the federal government was unable to fulfil its responsibility to provide additional security personnel. Since the previous Local government (LG) elections in AJK were held in 1991 and the subsequent polls started to be scheduled in 1995, each government has been managing the LG institutions through the use of "administrators," who can either be government employees or party members.
The subject of LG elections had been pending in the AJK's superior courts since the beginning of the previous PML-N administration. The AJK Supreme Court had ordered the government to make preparations for LG elections by August 2022 in light of the 2017 census in December of last year after protracted legal proceedings.
On the government's request, the AJK Supreme Court reviewed the deadline in July 2022 and ordered that LG elections be held by October 15, 2022. The electoral commission then set the polling date for September 28. After then, the PPP and PML-N requested yet another extension, this time until March 2023, but the Supreme Court rejected their motion and extended the deadline to November 30 instead. The phase-wise election was announced for Muzaffarabad, Poonch, and Mirpur divisions on Nov 27, Dec 3, and Dec 8, respectively, even though the commission had set Nov 27 for voting throughout AJK due to Islamabad's refusal to provide an additional 40,000 personnel.[9]
Elections
In terms of political parties, Pakistan Muslim League (N) (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), will likely face off against each other in the elections. The PML-N and the PPP, two opposition parties, have teamed up. The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Party, the All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference, and Jamaat-i-Islami are contesting the election on their own and aim to win a respectable number of seats.[10]
Election day
1,323 polling places will be staffed by around 4,500 police officers, while a Quick Response Force (QRF) made up of 500 police officers will be on alert in the background to handle any emergencies. The divisional commissioners dispelled the notion that security measures were minimal by stating that the entire division had been split into 11 zones, 130 sectors, and 64 QRF points, each of which would be overseen by senior police and administration officials who had been given first-class magistrate authority.[11]
Seats
Candidates
Muzaffarabad division
Poonch division
Poonch division[16] !District!District council!Union council!Town committee!Municipal committee!Municipal corporation!Total!Unopposed| Poonch | 150 | 659 | 74 | 30 | 169 | 1082 | 2 |
|---|
| Haveli | 61 | 302 | - | 9 | - | 372 | 1 |
|---|
| Bagh | 225 | 905 | 26 | - | 93 | 1249 | - |
|---|
| Sudhanoti | 144 | 632 | 54 | 50 | - | 880 | - |
|---|
| Total | 580 | 2498 | 154 | 89 | 262 | 3583 | 3 | |
|---|
Mirpur division
Mirpur division[17] !District!District council!Union council!Town committee!Municipal committee!Municipal corporation!Total!Unopposed| Mirpur | 143 | 510 | - | 135 | 236 | 1024 | 3 |
|---|
| Kotli | 430 | 1553 | 15 | 47 | 86 | 2131 | 16 |
|---|
| Bhimber | 214 | 792 | 29 | 67 | - | 1102 | - |
|---|
| Total | 787 | 2855 | 44 | 249 | 322 | 4257 | 19 | |
|---|
Polling stations
Voter statistics
Voter stats AJK and refugees[19] !District!Male!Female!Total!Refugees| Neelam Valley | 69,475 | 59,823 | 129,298 | - |
|---|
| Muzaffarabad | 219,173 | 189,695 | 408,868 | 616 |
|---|
| Jhelum Valley | 83,545 | 71,229 | 154,774 | 16 |
|---|
| Bagh | 157,670 | 142,478 | 300,148 | 362 |
|---|
| Haveli | 54,262 | 47,486 | 101,748 | - |
|---|
| Poonch | 204,586 | 182,588 | 387,174 | - |
|---|
| Sudhanoti | 120,641 | 107,302 | 227,943 | - |
|---|
| Kotli | 305,297 | 263,754 | 569,051 | 1,133 |
|---|
| Mirpur | 189,177 | 176,801 | 365,978 | - |
|---|
| Bhimber | 161,076 | 141,944 | 303,020 | - |
|---|
| Total AJK voters | 1,564,902 | 1,383,100 | 2,948,002 | - |
|---|
| Total refugees voters | 2,127 |
|---|
| Total voters | 2,950,129 | |
|---|
Results
Muzaffarabad division (Phase I)
Party wise results
Results by district council
Results by Municipal corporation
Poonch division (Phase II)
Party wise results
Results by district council
Results by municipal corporation
Results by union council
Results by municipal committee
Results by town committee
Mirpur division (Phase III)
Party wise results
Results by district council
Results by municipal corporation
Results by union council
Results by municipal committee
Results by town committee
See also
Notes and References
- Web site: 2022-11-27 . Voting underway as Azad Kashmir holds first local bodies elections in 31 years . 2022-11-27 . The Nation . en.
- Web site: 2022-11-27 . PTI leads in 1st phase of AJK LG polls . 2023-01-08 . The Express Tribune . en.
- Web site: 2022-12-04 . PTI leads in second phase of AJK local polls . 2022-12-08 . Pakistan Today . en-US.
- Web site: 2022-12-04 . Second phase of AJK LG polls concludes peacefully . 2022-12-08 . Daily Times . en-US.
- Web site: PTI leads in second phase of AJK local polls . 2022-12-08 . Dunya News.
- Web site: Naqash . Tariq . 2022-12-09 . PTI clinches victories in most rural, urban councils of Mirpur . 2023-01-08 . DAWN.COM . en.
- Web site: 2022-12-09 . PML-N leads in final phase of AJK local govt polls . 2023-01-08 . The Express Tribune . en.
- Web site: 2022-11-27 . Kashmir votes in first local government elections in over three decades . 2022-11-27 . Pakistan Today . en-US.
- Web site: Naqash . Tariq . 2022-11-27 . AJK votes in local elections after decades . 2022-11-28 . DAWN.COM . en.
- Web site: 2022-07-10 . Grassroots representation . 2022-11-28 . The News International . en.
- Web site: Naqash . Tariq . 2022-11-27 . AJK votes in local elections after decades . 2022-11-28 . DAWN.COM . en.
- Web site: Council Wise Party Position . 2022-12-06 . election-results.ajk.gov.pk.
- Web site: Council Wise Party Position . 2022-12-06 . election-results.ajk.gov.pk.
- Web site: Check Results Local Bodies Election - 2022 . 2022-12-06 . ec.ajk.gov.pk.
- Web site: Local Bodies . 2022-11-27 . Election Commission of AJK . en-US.
- Web site: Local Bodies . 2022-12-03 . Election Commission of AJK . en-US.
- Web site: Local Bodies . 2022-12-03 . Election Commission of AJK . en-US.
- Web site: Local Bodies . 2022-11-28 . Election Commission of AJK . en-US.
- Web site: Local Bodies . 2022-11-28 . Election Commission of AJK . en-US.
- Web site: Successful candidates list . in AJK local government election 2022 . 4 December 2022 . AJK Election Commission . https://web.archive.org/web/20221210143756/https://ec.ajk.gov.pk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Members-DC-Mzd.pdf . 10 December 2022 . 4 December 2022 . AJK Election Commission . bot: unknown .
- Web site: Successful candidates list of . Municipal Corporation . 4 December 2022 . AJK Election Commission . https://web.archive.org/web/20221204071035/https://ec.ajk.gov.pk/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Members-MC-Mzd.pdf . 4 December 2022 . 4 December 2022 . Election Commission of AJK . bot: unknown .
- Web site: Poonch Division District Council Party Position . 2022-12-07 . election-results.ajk.gov.pk.
- Web site: Poonch Division Municipal Corporation Party Position . 2022-12-07 . election-results.ajk.gov.pk.
- Web site: Poonch Division Union Council Party Position . 2022-12-07 . election-results.ajk.gov.pk.
- Web site: Poonch Division Municipal Committee Party Position . 2022-12-07 . election-results.ajk.gov.pk.
- Web site: Poonch Division Town Committee Position . 2022-12-07 . election-results.ajk.gov.pk.
