This is a detailed analytical interpretation of the democratisation of Jammu and Kashmir since 1947. It shows how after British India's partition, the state upon the abdication of the Dogra dynasty, delved into an unstable democratic system marked by the installation of weak governments; dilution of the state's special privileges; massive electoral malpractices; initiation of a secessionist movement and the collapse of democracy. To achieve political balance, New Delhi controlled the state by rotating its leadership on the one hand and curbing opponents on the other. The author concludes with some argumentative findings—to maintain effective political control the Indian leadership sought a formula of “national interest and integration” and formed strategic alliances with local leaders who supported its plans or else groomed a new class of leaders who collaborated with its ideology. However, the people deserve equal political rights and an uninterrupted democratisation of institutions as enjoyed in other Indian states.
