PoK polls in seven seats postponed indefinitely amid law-and-order fears

Islamabad,UPDATED: Aug 7, 2026 18:02 IST

Voting for seven of the 11 seats in the third phase of polls in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, scheduled for August 10, has been postponed indefinitely due to what the authorities described as concerns over the law-and-order situation. The announcement came after the first two phases of polling, held on July 27 and August 2, were marred by violent protests.

The Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Election Commission said polling would go ahead on August 10 in three constituencies of Bagh district and one in Haveli, while voting in seven constituencies of Poonch district and Sudhnoti's Pallandri would be deferred. Elections are being held for 45 directly elected seats in the so-called Kashmir Legislative Assembly, which has a total of 53 seats including eight reserved for women, technocrats and clerics.

In a statement, the Election Commission said, "The electoral process in seven constituencies of Poonch district and Sudhnoti's Pallandri will not be held on August 10." It added, "We have received a report from the home secretary there that shows concerns over the law-and-order situation in some areas of Poonch district and Pallandri district. The next date for the polls on these constituencies will be announced later."

The commission also said it had received requests from some political figures and candidates from these districts to postpone the elections in view of the current situation. "We will announce the new polling dates and a revised election schedule for Poonch and Pallandri after reviewing the situation and considering all relevant matters," the statement said.

India maintains that the entire Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are its integral and inalienable parts, and says Pakistan is in "illegal and forcible occupation" of parts of these Union Territories. On Tuesday, India described the so-called local body elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as a "complete farce" and said such "hollow" exercises could not hide the situation on the ground. At a regular media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "This so-called local election in PoK is a complete farce. The real happening is that of public protests and wanton killings by Pakistani forces. Such hollow exercises cannot hide reality." The MEA also criticised Pakistan's crackdown on protesters in the region and said the international community should see through the "flimsy veneer" of Islamabad's "hypocritical lecturing" on human rights.

The ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, which is in power at the federal level, won both the first and second phases and has emerged as the single largest party to form the next government in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. In the first phase on July 27, it won nine of the 13 seats, while the Pakistan People's Party won four. In the second phase on August 2, held amid violence and allegations of rigging, one person was killed and several others were injured. The PML-N won 16 seats and the PPP won the remaining five. Together, the two phases have given the PML-N 24 seats.

The August 2 voting also included 12 refugee seats, which are at the centre of a controversy. The banned Joint Awami Action Committee has been holding protests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir since June over these seats, alleging that the establishment uses them to install a prime minister of its choice to lead the so-called government in the region. According to the JAAC, more than 40 people were killed during the first phase of polling on July 27, and around 400 protesters have been killed since the first week of June. The Shehbaz Sharif government rejected the claim. PM's adviser Rana Sanaullah said in a recent TV statement, "The number of the people killed in protests is in two digits. Moreover, security personnel have also lost their lives."

With polling in seven constituencies now put off and four seats still set to vote on August 10, the third phase of the election process in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has been partially delayed amid unrest, while the PML-N remains ahead after winning 24 seats in the first two rounds.

With PTI Inputs

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