From Sovereignty to Surveillance: Gendered Transformations in Kashmir from 1947 to Post-Article 370
Aftab Ahmad Mir
Ph.D Research Scholar, Department of Sociology & Social Work, Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar
The research investigates the evolution of women's rights in Kashmir, tracing their socio-legal transformation from India’s independence in 1947 through the insurgency era and culminating in the post-abrogation landscape following the revocation of Article 370 in 2019. Employing a qualitative, historical-comparative method, the study draws on secondary data from academic literature, legal frameworks, policy documents, and feminist theories—specifically Feminist Legal Theory, Conflict Theory, Postcolonial Feminism, and Islamic Feminism. It critically analyzes how gender dynamics in Kashmir have been shaped by colonial legacies, political upheavals, militarization, and legislative reforms. The article highlights key legal developments such as the implications of Article 35A, the 2002 High Court ruling on residency rights, and post-2019 changes granting Kashmiri women equal property rights. While legal frameworks have evolved, the study reveals a persistent gap between formal rights and lived realities due to entrenched patriarchal norms, conflict-related violence, and socio-economic vulnerabilities. It emphasizes that women in Kashmir have played dual roles—as victims of conflict and as active agents of resistance and reform.
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