Satyapal Malik passes away at 79: Former J&K governor was critical for months; served during Article 370 rollback

NEW DELHI: Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik passed away on Tuesday at the age of 79 after a prolonged illness.

He died while undergoing treatment at around 1pm at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi.

His aide Kanwar Singh Rana confirmed the news of his demise.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences over his demise. "Saddened by the passing away of Shri Satyapal Malik Ji. My thoughts are with his family and supporters in this hour of grief. Om Shanti," he said in a post on X.


Malik had been admitted to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital since May 2025, where his condition remained critical.

Hospital sources said he was suffering from a severe urinary tract infection and complications arising from kidney failure, due to which he had been placed in the ICU for advanced care.

Satya Pal Malik served as the last Governor of Jammu and Kashmir from August 2018 to October 2019. It was during his tenure that the abrogation of Article 370 took place on August 5, 2019—marking a historic and controversial decision that led to the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

Following his stint in J&K, he was also appointed as the Governor of Bihar and Meghalaya.

Known for speaking his mind, Malik later became a vocal critic of the BJP, the party he was once a senior leader of. He courted controversy by openly commenting on alleged security lapses in the 2019 Pulwama attack and raising concerns about corruption in the Kiru Hydropower Project.

(With inputs from agencies)