ABSTRACT
The Indian-controlled portion of the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir, until August 5, 2019, had enjoyed a substantial degree of political autonomy in the Indian federation. Its special status notwithstanding, the internal politics of the state, from the outset, saw a creeping process of autocratization. This process had two dimensions: political and legal. Politically, it could be attributed the dominance of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, which was not above resorting to dubious political tactics to maintain its hold on power. Legally, it could be traced to the passage of legislation that constrained civil liberties. Since the outbreak of an insurgency in 1989, a series of legislative acts have deepened the process of autocratization. With the end of the state special status in 2019, matters are unlikely to improve in the foreseeable future.
