Muazaffarabad: Former president, former prime minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Member Legislative Assembly Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan has written letter to Chief Election Commissioner AJK Justice (retd) Ghulam Mustafa Mughal demanding postponement of the 27th July General Elections due to the grave law and order situation of the State.

In the letter Sardar Yaqoob Khan wrote 'I respectfully invite the attention of the Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to the grave and extraordinary law and order situation presently prevailing in various parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in areas that have witnessed prolonged unrest, violence, loss of precious human lives, disruption of normal civic life, restrictions on movement, and serious security concerns'.

Sardar Yaqoob Khan wrote in these circumstances, holding the General Elections scheduled for 27th July 2026 in a peaceful, free, fair and transparent manner appears to be extremely difficult, the prevailing atmosphere of tension and insecurity may not only endanger the lives and safety of voters, candidates, polling personnel and security officials, but may also adversely affect the ability of citizens to freely exercise their fundamental democratic right to vote without fear, intimidation or obstruction.

Sardar Yaqoob Khan wrote 'It is respectfully submitted that Article 50(7) of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir interim Constitution, 1974 casts a constitutional duty upon the Election Commission to organize and conduct elections and make such arrangements as are necessary to ensure that elections are conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with law. This constitutional obligation necessarily requires that an election be conducted in an environment where voters are able to participate freely, safely and where all contesting candidates and political parties enjoy a fair and security opportunity to conduct their election campaigns and participate in the electoral process'.

Sardar Yaqoob Khan wrote 'Furthermore, Section 53 of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Elections Act, 2020, recognizes that polling proceedings may have to be adjourned where polling is interrupted or obstructed by riot or open violence, or where it is not possible to conduct the poll due to a natural calamity or any other sufficient cause. Although this provision specifically deals with adjournment of polling in emergency circumstances at polling stations, the principle underlying the provision clearly recognizes that violence; serious disruption and other sufficient causes may render the conduct of polling impracticable and require appropriate intervention by the competent election authorities'.

Sardar Yaqoob Khan has requested the Election Commissioner to undertake an immediate and comprehensive assessment of the prevailing law and order and security situation throughout Azad Jammu and Kashmir; obtain detailed reports from the civil administration, police and other relevant security and law enforcement authorities regarding the feasibility of conducting peaceful elections on 27 July 2026; convene an urgent consultation with all major political parties and relevant stakeholders to assess the ground realities; and postpone the General Elections scheduled for the 27th July 2026 for an appropriate and reasonable period, until such time as the law and order situation improves sufficiently to ensure that elections can be conducted peacefully, freely, fairly, transparently and in accordance with the Constitution and Law.

Sardar Yaqoob Khan wrote 'I sincerely hope that the Election Commission will consider this request with the seriousness and urgency that the prevailing circumstances demand and take an appropriate decision in the larger interest of peace, public safety, democracy and the credibility of the electoral process in Azad Jammu and Kashmir'.