▁the ▁south , ▁borders ▁the ▁Indian ▁states ▁of ▁Him ach al ▁Pr adesh ▁and ▁P un j ab , ▁the ▁union ▁territory ▁of ▁Lad akh , ▁and ▁the ▁nation ▁of ▁Pakistan . ▁The ▁K ash mir ▁Valley , ▁in ▁the ▁north west , ▁borders ▁Lad akh ▁and ▁the ▁Pak ist ani - admin ister ed ▁territ ories ▁of ▁Az ad ▁K ash mir ▁and ▁Gil git - B alt istan . ▁Az ad ▁K ash mir ▁and ▁Gil git - B alt istan ▁are ▁admin ister ed ▁by ▁Pakistan ▁but ▁claimed ▁by ▁India . ▁Lad akh ▁was ▁formerly ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Jam mu ▁and ▁K ash mir ▁state ▁and ▁became ▁a ▁union ▁territory ▁on ▁ 3 1 ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁ ▁Like ▁the ▁union ▁territory ▁of ▁P ud uch er ry , ▁Indian ▁admin ister ed ▁parts ▁of ▁Jam mu ▁& ▁K ash mir ▁have ▁a ▁multi - party ▁dem ocr atic ▁system ▁of ▁govern ance . ▁The ▁primary ▁political ▁parties ▁include ▁the ▁Jam mu ▁& ▁K ash mir ▁National ▁Conference ▁( NC ), ▁the ▁Indian ▁National ▁Congress ▁( C ong ress ), ▁B har ati ya ▁Jan ata ▁Party ▁( B J P ) ▁and ▁the ▁Jam mu ▁and ▁K ash mir ▁Pe op les ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁( P DP ). ▁ ▁Histor ically ▁K ash mi ri ▁Muslim s ▁have ▁preferred ▁greater ▁aut onomy ▁and ▁so vere ig nt y ▁for ▁the ▁region ▁and ▁have ▁even ▁proposed ▁an ▁independent ▁K ash mir . ▁However ▁a ▁minor