Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik passed away on Tuesday. He was 79.
A post on his X account confirmed his death. The former Rajya Sabha member was admitted to New Delhi’s RML Hospital where he died after a prolonged illness.
His body will be taken to his residence in R K Puram and the cremation will be held tomorrow at Lodhi crematorium.
पूर्व गवर्नर चौधरी सत्यपाल सिंह मलिक जी नहीं रहें।#satyapalmalik
— Satyapal Malik (@SatyapalMalik6) August 5, 2025
Malik started out at as an MLA in the 1970s. In his half-century as a politician, he jumped several parties. Hailing from Baghpat in western UP, he was first elected on a ticket of Chaudhary Charan Singh’s Bharatiya Kranti Dal.
In 1980, he was named to the Rajya Sabha by the Charan Singh-led Lok Dal. But in 1984, he joined the Congress, which in turn sent him to the Rajya Sabha in 1986.
His one-year stint at J-K Governor ended after the abrogation of Article 370. He also served as the Governor of Goa and Meghalaya.
Known to be outspoken while an active politician, he was no strange to controversy and was considered an embarrassment to the Centre all through his political career. He had also made serious allegations against the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government over corruption and the 2019 Pulwama attack in an interview to The Wire.
In his late 70s, Malik was seen as nursing political ambitions and appealing to his Jat, farmer base.