MUZAFFARABAD: Secretary of Election Commission (EC) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Ayaz Bashir said on Monday that the youngsters who were set to turn 18 till March 31 would be eligible to cast their votes in the upcoming general elections.
While addressing a press conference on Monday, Ayaz Bashir said that the newly eligible voters can register till April 30. The deadline is supplementary and expected to be extended further if required, he added
“After the 2016 general elections, it has been two years and many youngsters have grown to 18 years of age. These youngsters are eligible to vote. Their names are yet to be updated in the voters’ lists,” the EC secretary told media.
It was also stated that a qualifying date was mandatory for the preparation of the voters’ list and it was set as March 31.
Bashir said, “It is mandatory, according to the section 10 of AJK Electoral Rules Ordinance of 1970, that a voter must be a national of the AJK and his age should be above 18.”
The EC secretary further stated that the newly eligible voters can poll their votes only on their permanent address as mentioned in the NADRA-issued national identity card (NIC).
He warned that if any person attempted to register his/her vote in more than one constituency then he/she would face a one-month imprisonment with Rs 5,000 fine.
According to the electoral rules of AJK, a voters’ list used in the general elections can be used for the local body elections to update the newly eligible voters.
