MUZAFFARABAD – The electoral battle in Azad Jammu and Kashmir suffered setback on Sunday as heavy rainfall and landslides forced authorities to postpone polling in LA-27 Muzaffarabad-I, while voting continued uninterrupted across the rest of the region.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission announced that severe weather left multiple roads blocked, preventing polling staff and election materials from reaching polling stations before the start of voting. As a result, polling in the constituency could not commence according to schedule.
Election officials said the district administration made extensive efforts to restore road access, but several affected routes remained impassable, making it impossible to conduct the election safely and fairly.
Election Commission confirmed that a new polling date for LA-27 Muzaffarabad-I will be announced at 2:00 PM today, urging voters to remain patient and cooperate with the revised arrangements. It also apologized for the inconvenience caused by the weather-related disruption.
Despite the postponement in LA-27, election authorities stressed that polling in all other constituencies of Azad Jammu and Kashmir is continuing as planned, with voters turning out to cast their ballots in the remaining electoral contests.
Met Office forecast heavy rainfall, strong winds and thunderstorms across Kashmir from Sunday through Tuesday, raising concerns over possible flash flooding, landslides and travel disruptions in vulnerable areas.
Partly cloudy weather with rain, wind and thunderstorms is expected across Kashmir on Sunday and Monday, with isolated heavy downpours likely in several districts. The wet spell is expected to persist into Tuesday, keeping weather conditions unstable across the region.
Among the major cities, Muzaffarabad is expected to remain under the influence of heavy rain and strong winds, with temperatures ranging between 34°C and 36°C on Sunday and Monday, easing slightly to 33°C to 35°C on Tuesday. Humidity in the city has been recorded at 92%, increasing the likelihood of intense rainfall.
Rawalakot is likely to get more rains and gusty winds, with temperatures expected between 29°C and 31°C on Sunday and Monday, and 28°C to 30°C on Tuesday. Humidity has been recorded at 82%.
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