PoK Assembly Elections: 2nd Phase, Polling For 12 Refugee Seats Underway Amid Tight Security | Exclusive

Published 2 August 2026 · politics

PoK Assembly Elections: 2nd Phase, Polling For 12 Refugee Seats Underway Amid Tight Security | Exclusive Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: August 02, 2026

PoK Assembly Elections: 2nd Phase, Polling For 12 Refugee Seats Underway Amid Tight Security | Exclusive Reported By, Edited By Last Updated: August 02, 2026, 14:49 IST PoK Assembly Elections: More than 1.2 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots in this phase Rapid Read PoK Assembly elections: A citizen casts his vote. (News18) The second phase of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) Legislative Assembly elections is underway across 21 constituencies amid heightened security arrangements, with polling also being conducted for the controversial 12 refugee seats. More than 1.2 million registered voters are expected to cast their ballots in this phase. According to the PoK Election Commission, all election preparations have been completed and polling personnel were deployed ahead of voting.

Polling began at 8:00 a.m. and is scheduled to continue until 5:00 p.m. under the supervision of Pakistan’s security establishment, with multi-layered security arrangements in place at sensitive polling stations. According to sources, multiple incidents of unrest were reported in Muzaffarabad on the eve of polling, following which Pakistan’s security forces tightened their presence and assumed full control of key areas across the capital. The Muzaffarabad Division accounts for nine Assembly constituencies and has over 800,000 registered voters. The Neelum and Jhelum Valley districts together comprise four constituencies going to the polls in the second phase. A total of 208 candidates are contesting the nine seats in the Muzaffarabad Division, while 143 candidates are in the fray for the 12 refugee constituencies.

The contest has witnessed participation from major political parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), All Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference, as well as several independent candidates, making the electoral battle closely contested. Election authorities have established 1,483 polling stations and 2,219 polling booths across the Muzaffarabad Division, with enhanced security deployment at vulnerable and sensitive locations to ensure peaceful voting. The third and final phase of the PoK Legislative Assembly elections, covering the Poonch Division, is scheduled to be held on August 10. PHASE ONE The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won 9 out of 13 declared seats during the first phase of the Legislative Assembly elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on July 27, 2026. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) secured the remaining 4 seats, though the entire voting process was severely marred by widespread violence, protests, and extensive rigging allegations.