Broken fax machine that triggered political storm in J&K: A Satyapal Malik moment that went viral

Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik, who passed away on Tuesday, may be remembered for many things—but one of the most bizarre and politically charged moments during his tenure came in the form of a broken fax machine.

It was 2018, just months before the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A. The BJP had pulled out of its alliance with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), plunging the state into political uncertainty. Then came a dramatic twist.

PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti, backed by unlikely allies National Conference (NC) and Congress, claimed the support of 56 MLAs and faxed a letter to the Raj Bhavan, staking claim to form the government. But the Governor’s office claimed it never received the fax.

Sajad Lone of the People’s Conference also said he had sent his own claim to the Governor. With the fax machine allegedly “not working,” Lone famously tweeted: “Fax not working. We have WhatsApped it to the PA to His Excellency.”

As claims and counter claims surfaced in Srinagar, he swiftly dissolved the Assembly, citing horse trading and lack of a stable configuration. Mehbooba Mufti fired back, saying: “Strange that the fax machine couldn’t receive our letter, but could issue one on dissolution so fast.”

Even Omar Abdullah, now the Chief Minister, took a swipe: “Raj Bhavan needs a new fax machine urgently.”

In a later interview, Malik stood by his decision, saying he had acted to prevent instability: “There was no chance of a stable government. There were reports of horse trading.”

Now, as tributes pour in for Malik, the fax machine moment remains one of the most peculiar chapters of his tenure.