Electoral Imbalance in the AJK Assembly — Time to Restore Democratic Equality. A Formula for Equal Representation in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Assembly — A Fair Solution for Refugee Constituencies. By Sardar Aftab Khan
Electoral Imbalance in the AJK Assembly — Time to Restore Democratic Equality. A Formula for Equal Representation in the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Assembly — A Fair Solution for Refugee Constituencies. By Sardar Aftab Khan In the part of the State of Jammu and Kashmir where democratic aspirations run deep, the current structure of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly reveals a troubling imbalance. The constituencies reserved for refugees from Jammu and Kashmir residing in Pakistan, although historically significant, now result in members of the Assembly wielding disproportionate legislative and governing power compared to those elected from AJK’s resident population. This imbalance calls for urgent electoral reform. A Data-Driven Inequality The basic principle of democracy is simple: every vote should carry equal value and weight. But the current electoral system and constituency allocations for the AJK Assembly do not fully reflect th...