Pakistan-Administered Kashmir Court Upholds 12 Refugee Seats for Assembly Elections

The Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir ruled Sunday that 12 legislative seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees living in Pakistan are constitutionally protected and cannot be abolished without a constitutional amendment. The opinion responded to a presidential reference on constitutional questions tied to the seats and the upcoming assembly elections.

It stated that elections must occur within the constitutionally prescribed period and that protests or disputes cannot be used to delay the vote.

The seats are reserved for people who migrated from Indian-administered Kashmir decades ago. The court said the refugee seats enjoy constitutional protection and can only be changed through a constitutional amendment. It added that unresolved constitutional questions should be addressed by the Legislative Assembly.

Police arrested dozens of supporters of the Joint Awami Action Committee one day before the ruling. The regional government had banned the group earlier in the week over alleged threats to public order. The group plans a protest next week. Authorities said the demonstration could disrupt the election process.

The court recognized peaceful protest as a constitutional right but ruled that actions disrupting public life, blocking roads, or interfering with constitutional processes are not protected.