The Chief Election Commissioner of Azad Jammu and Kashmir has extended polling hours by one hour in Mirpur Division due to an exceptionally high voter turnout.
Under the Election Commission's directive, polling, which was originally scheduled to end at 5:00 PM, will now continue until 6:00 PM, allowing more voters to cast their ballots.
A closely contested race is expected in several constituencies across Mirpur, Bhimber, and Kotli, where candidates from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), Jamaat-e-Islami, and independent candidates are competing.
The division has over 1.4 million registered voters, with 2,454 polling stations established to facilitate voting. Additional security personnel have been deployed at sensitive and highly sensitive polling stations to ensure a peaceful electoral process.
Meanwhile, two presiding officers in Kotli were suspended and arrested a day earlier after failing to report to their assigned polling stations. Replacement officers have since been appointed by the Election Commission.
