GB Elections 2026 live updates: Polling ended, unofficial results coming in
Polling has ended in Gilgit-Baltistan, with unofficial results now coming in from a tightly fought contest for 24 assembly seats.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Voting closed at 5pm in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly election, where 403 candidates are contesting 24 seats and parties are watching the unofficial results closely. The Election Commission also ordered Form 45 to be shared with polling agents, rejected a fake disqualification notice, and said security was tightly deployed.
Gilgit-Baltistan voted for a new assembly, and the counting started after polls closed. It is like a race where different teams are waiting to see who gets enough seats to build the biggest tower.
Analysis
What happened
Polling in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections ended at 5pm, and unofficial results began to come in soon after. The vote is for 24 seats, with 403 candidates in the field and 958,480 registered voters eligible to cast ballots.
Why the count matters
The article says a party needs 17 seats to secure a simple majority and form the regional government on its own. That makes even a small swing in a few constituencies important, especially in closely watched areas such as Gilgit, Skardu, Ghizer, Diamer, Astore and Ghanche.
Election administration and security
The GB Election Commission directed presiding officers to give polling agents a copy of Form 45, saying it is a mandatory requirement under the Elections Act 2017. The order came after PPP leaders Nayyar Hussain Bukhari and Qamar Zaman Kaira pushed for the form to be shared.
The commission also rejected a notification on social media that claimed candidate Riyaz Akbar had been disqualified. It called the document fake and said the name and signature of the Provincial Election Commissioner had been misused.
Security was described as strict. According to IG Police Nasir Akbar Khan, more than 17,500 personnel were deployed, including local police, GB Scouts, and contingents from Punjab and Sindh police.
Key battlegrounds
The article highlights several important contests: Amjad Hussain Azar of the PPP in GBA-1, PML-N’s Hafiz Hafeezur Rehman in GBA-2, Syed Mehdi Shah in GBA-7, independent heavyweight Syed Amjad Ali Zaidi in GBA-8, and nationalist leader Nawaz Khan Naji in GBA-20. It also notes that tribal councils and local alliances remain decisive in some districts.
Key points
- Polling ended at 5pm in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly elections, and unofficial results are now coming in.
- A total of 403 candidates are contesting 24 seats, with 958,480 registered voters eligible to vote.
- The Election Commission told presiding officers to give polling agents a copy of Form 45.
- The commission rejected a social media notification about candidate Riyaz Akbar’s alleged disqualification as fake.
- More than 17,500 security personnel were deployed across polling stations and sensitive areas.
If the unofficial results are accepted smoothly, the region could move quickly toward forming a stable government. Clear Form 45 handling and heavy security may also reduce disputes and help the final tally look more trustworthy.
Close results could trigger challenges if parties question the count or the handling of election documents. The fake notification episode also shows how quickly misinformation can spread during a tense vote.
