India has raised a sharp objection to the legislative assembly elections being held in Gilgit-Baltistan, a region currently under Pakistan’s administrative control but claimed by New Delhi as part of the Union Territory of Ladakh. The voting is scheduled for June 7 for 24 assembly seats across 10 districts.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that Pakistan’s decision to conduct elections in the region “illegally and forcibly occupied” by it is unacceptable. According to the MEA, such political exercises cannot alter the legal and constitutional status of the territory.

India has consistently maintained that the entire region of Jammu and Kashmir, including Gilgit-Baltistan, is an integral and inalienable part of the country.

Elections Under Existing Framework

The upcoming polls are being held more than five years after the previous elections conducted in November 2020, when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) emerged as the dominant political force. The current assembly completed its five-year term in November 2025, but elections were delayed due to harsh weather conditions and logistical challenges in the mountainous region.

Gilgit-Baltistan operates under a separate administrative structure compared to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). While PoK has its own constitution and political setup, Gilgit-Baltistan has historically remained under federal control from Islamabad with limited autonomy.

Governance Structure Explained

The region’s governance framework was first formalised through the Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self-Governance Order of 2009, which introduced an elected assembly. Later, the Gilgit-Baltistan Order 2018 expanded the powers of the local government, though key authority continues to rest with Pakistan’s federal administration.

The current election is the second held under the 2018 framework, highlighting the evolving but still limited self-governance structure in the region.

Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir Elections Ahead

Separate from Gilgit-Baltistan, elections in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are scheduled for July 27. The PoK Legislative Assembly consists of 53 seats, including reserved categories for women and technocrats.

In the 2021 elections, PTI secured a majority, but political instability followed after changes in Pakistan’s federal leadership. Subsequent leadership transitions and internal political realignments have continued to shape governance in the region.

India’s Constitutional Position

India also reiterated that 24 assembly seats in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly are reserved for areas currently under Pakistan’s control, including Gilgit-Baltistan and PoK, as per the delimitation framework introduced after the 2019 reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir.

Since India does not exercise administrative control over these areas, elections are not conducted there and the seats remain vacant.

Geopolitical Context

The issue remains a sensitive point in India-Pakistan relations, with New Delhi consistently opposing any political or electoral activity in the region conducted by Islamabad. India maintains that such exercises have no legal standing and do not affect sovereignty claims.