October 26 is celebrated as the Jammu Kashmir Merger Day and is called as the Accession Day to commemorate merger of the state of Jammu and Kashmir with the union of India.
On this day, the last Dogra ruler of Jammu and Kashmir Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession in 1947.
Seventy-four years ago, soon after India and Pakistan got their independence, the month of October 1947 witnessed massive activity as Instrument of Accession was signed on 26 October, which ensured the merger of state of Jammu and Kashmir with the union of India.
Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession at Amar Palace in Jammu on October 26, which India’s last Governor-General Lord Mountbatten accepted on October 27.
Maharaja Hari Singh signed the instrument of Accession on October 26, 1947, in which the state of Jammu and Kashmir joined the Union of India.
• In Clause 4, the Maharaja declared accession of the state to India.
• Clause 5 declared that terms of the instrument were invariable, and can’t be changed with amendment of any law/act etc. without the acceptance of the J&K legislature by a supplementary instrument.