Voting, which was originally scheduled to end at 5pm, continued until 6pm in nine constituencies across Muzaffarabad Division. Polling was also held in all 12 refugee constituencies.

The AJK Election Commission said the extension was granted to facilitate voters who were still arriving at polling stations.

A total of 207 candidates contested nine constituencies in Muzaffarabad Division, including five in Muzaffarabad district, two in Jhelum Valley and two in Neelum.

At the same time, voting took place in all 12 refugee constituencies, comprising six seats reserved for refugees from the Kashmir Valley and six for refugees from the Jammu region. A total of 137 candidates contested these seats.

The third and final phase of the elections is scheduled to be held in Poonch Division on August 10.

PPP alleges irregularities

During polling, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) submitted a written complaint to AJK Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal, alleging electoral irregularities at a polling station.

PPP AJK election cell in-charge Sardar Abdul Shakoor claimed that workers of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) were stamping ballot papers at Polling Station 24 in LA-32.

He alleged the incident had compromised the transparency of the election and requested the Election Commission to stop the alleged activity, seize the ballot papers, remove the government employee concerned and take legal action after an investigation.

Addressing a press conference, PPP leader Nadeem Afzal Chan said his party had filed more than 15 complaints regarding alleged irregularities during polling.

He claimed polling staff and election material reached several constituencies late, while PPP polling agents were removed from polling stations.

Chan questioned the Election Commission s role, saying the credibility of the electoral process would be affected if such issues continued.

PML-N rejects allegations

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari rejected the allegations of rigging, saying the second phase of polling was being conducted peacefully.

Minister for Kashmir Affairs Amir Muqam also dismissed the claims, urging political parties to accept the public s verdict instead of making allegations.

He said voters in Mirpur Division had supported the PML-N on the basis of its performance and questioned how allegations of rigging could be made when the offices of the AJK president and prime minister were already held by the PPP.

Violence claims

PPP Vice President Sherry Rehman alleged that AJK Legislative Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Latif Akbar had come under attack and called for the immediate arrest of those responsible.

She alleged that PML-N workers had opened fire and urged the Election Commission to take immediate notice of the incident.

PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira also alleged violence, administrative failures and interference during polling.

Speaking at a press conference in Muzaffarabad, he claimed the party had received reports that one of its workers had been killed.

Kaira alleged that polling staff arrived late at several stations and claimed that, in some cases, PML-N workers accompanied polling officials and stamped ballot papers.

He said that if the election process itself became controversial, the credibility of the incoming government would also be questioned.

Separately, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari condemned the killing of party worker Mushtaq Shah in LA-31 and expressed condolences to his family.

Bilawal also condemned the reported attack on Chaudhry Latif Akbar, alleging that if the elections were won through rigging, public confidence in democratic institutions would be undermined.

The PML-N won the first phase of the AJK elections, securing nine seats, while the PPP won four seats. The PPP has alleged widespread rigging during the first phase, an allegation the PML-N has denied.