MUZAFFARABAD: General elections for the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly will be held on July 21, just three days before the sitting legislature completes its 5-year term.

Announcing the schedule here on Monday, AJK Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Justice Ghulam Mustafa Mughal declared that elections on 29 seats located in the AJK territory would be held under the supervision of the judiciary and on the remaining 12 seats located in Pakistan under the supervision of the officials of the Election Commission of Pakistan. The army personnel and Rangers would be deployed to maintain law and order at the polling stations, he said, According to details, candidates can submit their nomination papers from June 7 till June 16. Papers will be scrutinised on June 17, and the preliminary list of the candidates will be published on June 18.

Appeals against acceptance or rejection of nominations can be filed until June 22, which will be heard by the CEC on the following day and disposed of on June 25 and June 26. Candidates can withdraw by June 27, and final list without election symbols and with election symbols will be published on June 28 and June 29, respectively. The CEC said that a total of 2.681 million voters 2.237 million registered in the 29 constituencies in AJK and 444,634 in the 12 constituencies in Pakistan would exercise their right to franchise. Interestingly, the new lists had recorded a decrease of 133,574 voters in AJK and 215,167 voters in Pakistan as compared to the 2011 rolls.

It (decrease) was because the dual and fake votes were removed from the rolls with the cooperation of Nadra, the CEC said.

Appreciating the unstinting efforts of all those involved in preparation of `error free electoral rolls` in a record three-month time he said had the Election Commission got sufficient time, it would also have affixed picture of each voter in the lists.

In response to a question, he said any organisation or individual who wished to monitor the polls was welcome. The CEC also unveiled a code of conduct on the occasion, expressing the hope that the parties and candidates would not only strictly adhere to it but also the laws, rules, regulations and directions issued by him for smooth holding of elections and maintenance of public order.

He declared that no candidate, including the (AJK) prime minister, speaker, deputy speaker and cabinet members, would be allowed to use official vehicles or hoist national flag on their (private) vehicles during electioneering.

Same restriction would apply to the federal ministers, he added.