Answer

The Emergency in India, declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 25 June 1975 under Article 352, lasted until 21 March 1977. It led to the suspension of fundamental rights, censorship of the press, and mass detentions. This period marked a serious disruption of India’s democratic and constitutional order.

• Suspension of Fundamental Rights: During the Emergency, key rights under Articles 19, 20, and 21 were suspended, denying citizens their basic freedoms.
  Eg. Citizens could not file writ petitions for habeas corpus, even if unlawfully detained.
• Mass Detentions Without Trial: Over 1 lakh people were detained under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA).
  Eg. Opposition leaders such as Jayaprakash Narayan, Morarji Desai, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee were jailed without formal charges.
• Judicial Complicity: In ADM Jabalpur Case (1976) ,the Supreme Court upheld the suspension of the right to life during the Emergency.
• Postponement of Elections and Term Extension: The democratic process was halted through constitutional amendments.
  Eg. The 42nd Amendment extended the Lok Sabha’s term from five to six years and deferred elections.

Key Changes in Political and Governance Framework

Political Framework Changes

• Strengthening of Electoral Accountability: Post-Emergency, the importance of free and fair elections was reinforced to prevent authoritarian rule.
  Eg. The 1977 general elections marked a democratic revival with the defeat of the Congress government.
• Rise of Coalition Politics: The Emergency experience led to the decline of one-party dominance and growth of coalition governments to ensure wider representation.
  Eg. The Janata Party government (1977) was the first non-Congress coalition at the Centre.
• Greater Political Vigilance: Political parties became more cautious of civil liberties and democratic norms to avoid repeat authoritarian excesses.
• Restrictions on Emergency Proclamation: Constitutional amendments (44th) introduced safeguards making it harder to declare Emergency.
  Eg.The President can proclaim a National Emergency only upon the written recommendation of the Union Cabinet, and such a proclamation must be approved by both Houses of Parliament within one month to remain in force.

Governance Framework Changes

• Limits on Emergency Provisions: Constitutional amendments made it harder to impose Emergency and suspended certain powers.
  Eg. The 44th Amendment (1978) restored fundamental rights and required stricter conditions for Emergency proclamation.
• Judicial Safeguards Strengthened: The Supreme Court expanded interpretation of Article 21 (Right to Life) to prevent misuse of state power.
  Eg. The Maneka Gandhi (1978) judgment emphasized due process and fundamental rights protection.
• Improved Federalism: Safeguards were introduced to limit misuse of Article 356 (President’s Rule) against state governments.
  Eg. The Supreme Court’s S.R. Bommai (1994) judgment set clear guidelines restricting arbitrary dismissal of states.
• Enhanced Accountability and Transparency: Greater emphasis was placed on institutional checks and balances to prevent bureaucratic abuse.
  Eg. Increased role of Parliamentary Committees and Right to Information (RTI) laws promoted governance transparency.

The Emergency (1975–77) stands as a critical lesson in the fragility of democratic institutions. It exposed how unchecked power can subvert civil liberties, governance, and federal values. The period ultimately strengthened India’s resolve to uphold constitutional democracy, judicial independence, and citizen vigilance for the future.

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