Emergency Day in India is observed on June 25 every year. It marks one of the most controversial and important moments in Indian political history. It was imposed in 1975 by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. This 21-month period was marked by the suspension of fundamental civil liberties, strict control over the press through censorship, and the large-scale arrest of political opponents as well as activists.
What was the Emergency?
The Emergency was a period of about 21 months, from June 1975 to March 1977, when emergency powers were enforced across India. It was declared by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. During this time, several democratic rights were suspended, and the government exercised strict control over the country.
Civil liberties were heavily restricted. Freedom of speech was curtailed, the press was censored, and many political leaders and activists were arrested. More than a lakh people were reportedly imprisoned, including prominent opposition leaders.
Why was it declared?
The Constitution of India allows the President to declare a state of emergency on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. Such powers had been used earlier during wars in 1962 and 1971. However, the 1975 Emergency was declared on the grounds of internal disturbance, a term that was not clearly defined and later changed in the Constitution to armed rebellion.
On June 25, 1975, President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed declared the Emergency on the advice of Indira Gandhi. Soon after, electricity to media hubs in Delhi was cut, and newspapers could not be printed. The public learned about it only through All India Radio the next morning.
Impact on media and freedom
The Emergency saw strict censorship of the press. Newspapers faced heavy restrictions and could not freely criticise the government. Many editorial voices were silenced. For example, The Times of India published an “obituary for democracy,” The Indian Express left its editorial blank, and The Financial Express printed Rabindranath Tagore’s poem “Where the Mind Is Without Fear.”
Arrests and constitutional changes
During this period, several major opposition leaders were jailed using preventive detention laws. These included Jayaprakash Narayan, Morarji Desai, George Fernandes, Charan Singh, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L.K. Advani, and Mulayam Singh Yadav.
With opposition leaders in jail, the government made constitutional amendments that increased the powers of the legislature and reduced the authority of the judiciary. Courts were not allowed to review Emergency decisions, and even the Prime Minister’s election could not be legally challenged during this time.
Controversial policies and public unrest During Emergency
The Emergency period also saw several controversial actions. One of the most criticised was the forced sterilisation programme, mainly targeting poor men as part of population control efforts. This drive was strongly associated with Sanjay Gandhi.
There were also crackdowns on trade unions and workers’ rights. Large-scale demolitions in Delhi led to displacement of thousands of people. In some protests, police opened fire on civilians, including incidents at Turkman Gate in Delhi and in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, leading to hundreds of deaths.
End of the Emergency
In January 1977, Indira Gandhi suddenly announced fresh elections and released many political prisoners. In the general elections that followed, the Congress party was defeated by the Janata Party, led by Morarji Desai, who became India’s first non-Congress Prime Minister. The Emergency was officially lifted on March 21, 1977, after the election results. The new government later made constitutional changes to prevent misuse of emergency powers in the future.
Historical significance
The Emergency remains one of the most debated chapters in Indian democracy. It is often seen as a period when civil rights were suspended and democratic institutions were weakened. In 2024, the government declared June 25 as ‘Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas’ to mark the anniversary of the Emergency and to reaffirm commitment to democratic principles.
