Chapter 6: The Crisis of Democratic Order

1. State whether the following statements regarding the Emergency are correct or incorrect.

(a) It was declared in 1975 by Indira Gandhi: Correct
(b) It led to the suspension of all fundamental rights: Correct (Including the right to move court for restoration of fundamental rights).
(c) It was proclaimed due to the deteriorating economic conditions: Incorrect (The official reason was “Internal Disturbances”).
(d) Many Opposition leaders were arrested during the emergency: Correct
(e) CPI supported the proclamation of the Emergency: Correct (Initially).

2. Find the odd one out in the context of proclamation of Emergency.

Answer: (e) The findings of the Shah Commission Report
Reason: Options (a), (b), (c), and (d) were events/causes that happened before or leading up to the Emergency. The Shah Commission was appointed after the Emergency ended to investigate it.

3. Match the following:

Movement / Slogan	Leader / Event
(a) Total Revolution	(ii) Jayaprakash Narayan
(b) Garibi hatao	(i) Indira Gandhi
(c) Students’ Protest	(iii) Bihar Movement
(d) Railway Strike	(iv) George Fernandes

4. What were the reasons which led to the mid-term elections in 1980?

The mid-term elections of 1980 were necessitated by the failure of the Janata Party experiment.

Internal Conflict: The Janata Party was a coalition of diverse ideologies that lacked cohesion. There was a fierce power struggle between Morarji Desai, Charan Singh, and Jagjivan Ram for the Prime Minister’s post.
Instability: The Morarji Desai government lost its majority in 1979. A subsequent government led by Charan Singh, supported by Congress (I), fell within weeks when Congress withdrew support.
Lack of Direction: The party failed to provide a common programme or direction, leading to public disillusionment.

5. The Shah Commission was appointed in 1977 by the Janata Party Government. Why was it appointed and what were its findings?

Why appointed: To inquire into several aspects of allegations of abuse of authority, excesses, and malpractice committed during the Emergency (1975-77).

Findings:

The decision to impose Emergency was taken by the PM alone, without consulting the Cabinet officially.
There was widespread misuse of the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) for political arrests.
Excesses were committed in the sterilization campaign (Nasbandi) and large-scale demolitions in Delhi (e.g., Turkman Gate).
The media was subjected to arbitrary censorship.

6. What reasons did the Government give for declaring a National Emergency in 1975?

The Indira Gandhi government cited the following reasons under Article 352 (“Internal Disturbances”):

Threat to Internal Security: The government claimed there was a conspiracy to destabilize the country through extra-parliamentary agitations (like the JP movement).
Incitement of Forces: Jayaprakash Narayan had asked the police and army not to obey “illegal and immoral orders,” which the government interpreted as inciting mutiny.
Economic Hindrance: The government argued that constant strikes and protests were hindering economic development and the implementation of pro-poor programs.

7. The 1977 elections for the first time saw the Opposition coming into power at the Centre. What would you consider as the reasons for this development?

The 1977 election results were a direct referendum on the Emergency.

Reasons for Opposition Victory:

Anti-Emergency Wave: There was massive public anger against the suppression of civil liberties, forced sterilizations, and arbitrary arrests during the Emergency.
Opposition Unity: For the first time, major opposition parties (Jana Sangh, Bharatiya Lok Dal, Congress O, Socialist Party) merged to form a single party, the Janata Party. This prevented the division of anti-Congress votes.
Call for Democracy: The election became a battle between “Democracy and Dictatorship.” Jayaprakash Narayan’s moral leadership galvanized the youth and the middle class to “Save Democracy.”
Defections: Senior Congress leaders like Jagjivan Ram left the party (forming Congress for Democracy) and allied with the Janata Party, eroding Congress’s traditional support base.

8. Discuss the effects of Emergency on the following aspects of our polity.

Civil Liberties: Fundamental Rights were suspended. The government used preventive detention laws (MISA) to arrest opposition leaders and workers without trial. The Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32) was practically suspended.
Executive and Judiciary: The balance tipped heavily in favor of the Executive. The 42nd Amendment curbed the powers of the Judiciary (Judicial Review). The Supreme Court, in the controversial ADM Jabalpur case, ruled that citizens had no right to life or liberty during Emergency, showing a “committed judiciary.”
Mass Media: Freedom of the press was suspended. Censorship was imposed; newspapers had to get approval before publishing. Electricity to newspaper presses was cut off on the night of the declaration.
Police and Bureaucracy: They became politicized and “committed” to the ruling party rather than the Constitution. They were used to implement arbitrary orders like forced demolitions and sterilization targets.

9. In what way did the imposition of Emergency affect the party system in India? Elaborate your answer with examples.

The Emergency was a watershed moment that transformed the Indian party system from “One-Party Dominance” to a competitive multi-party system.

Impact:

End of Congress Hegemony: The defeat of Congress in 1977 broke the myth of its invincibility. It lost power at the Centre for the first time.
Rise of Coalitions: The formation of the Janata Party proved that coalition politics could be a viable alternative to Congress. It brought together diverse ideologies (Rightist, Socialist, Regional).
Legitimization of Regional/Rightist Forces: The Jana Sangh (later BJP) gained legitimacy and acceptance by fighting alongside socialists against the Emergency. This mainstreamed the Hindu nationalist movement in Indian politics.
Backward Class Politics: The post-Emergency period saw the rise of leaders representing backward castes (like Charan Singh) in North India, changing the social base of political parties.

10. Read the passage by Partha Chatterjee and answer the questions.

(a) What made the party system look like a two-party system in 1977?
The consolidation of almost all major non-Communist opposition parties into a single entity—the Janata Party—created a scenario where the electoral contest was a straight fight between the Congress and the Janata Party.

(b) Why describe it as ‘close to a two-party system’ despite many parties existing?
Although minor parties existed, the polarization of votes was absolute. The electorate saw only two viable options for governance: Congress or the Janata alliance. The fragmentation of the opposition vote, which usually helped Congress, did not happen.

(c) What caused splits in Congress and Janata parties?

Congress: The split was caused by Indira Gandhi’s authoritarian style and the blame game post-defeat. One faction wanted to return to collective leadership (Congress U/O), while Indira’s loyalists formed Congress (I).
Janata Party: The split was caused by ideological differences (the “Dual Membership” issue regarding RSS), ego clashes among three Prime Ministerial aspirants (Morarji Desai, Charan Singh, Jagjivan Ram), and the lack of a cohesive political program.