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President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed proclaimed the internal emergency on:
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)View answer ▾Hide ▴
Answer: Option C — 25 June 1975
Detailed Solution
On the night of 25 June 1975, President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed signed the proclamation of a National Emergency under Article 352, on the ground of "internal disturbance".
Events leading to the emergency:
- On 12 June 1975, the Allahabad High Court, in a judgment by Justice Jagmohanlal Sinha, set aside Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's election from Rae Bareli, in a petition filed by Raj Narain.
- The Supreme Court granted a conditional stay, allowing her to remain Prime Minister but not to vote in Parliament.
- On 25 June, Jayaprakash Narayan addressed a huge rally at the Ramlila Ground in Delhi and called for a nationwide movement.
- That night, the emergency was proclaimed, and the Cabinet was informed only the next morning.
During the emergency:
- Thousands of opposition leaders and activists were arrested, many under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA).
- Press censorship was imposed.
- Fundamental Rights were suspended.
In the ADM Jabalpur case (1976), the Supreme Court held that a person could not approach the courts for habeas corpus during the emergency; Justice H.R. Khanna dissented.
The 42nd Amendment was passed in 1976.
A forced sterilisation drive and slum demolitions caused public anger.
End of the emergency:
- In January 1977, Indira Gandhi announced elections.
- The Janata Party won, and the emergency was withdrawn on 21 March 1977.
Reforms after the emergency:
- The 44th Amendment Act, 1978 replaced "internal disturbance" with "armed rebellion".
- It required the written advice of the Cabinet for proclaiming an emergency.
- It provided that Articles 20 and 21 cannot be suspended even during an emergency.
- The Shah Commission investigated excesses committed during the emergency.
Earlier emergencies:
National Emergencies had also been proclaimed earlier on the ground of external aggression.
Why not the other options?
- ✗12 June 1975 is the date of the Allahabad High Court judgment.
- ✗26 July and 15 August 1975 are not the date of the proclamation.
Quick tip
Remember: Internal emergency proclaimed on 25 June 1975 (lifted on 21 March 1977).
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Centre-State Relations & Emergency Provisions — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Centre-State Relations & Emergency Provisions, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the distribution of legislative, administrative and financial powers between the Centre and the states, the Union, State and Concurrent Lists, inter-state councils and zonal councils, and the three types of emergency: national emergency (Article 352), President's rule (Article 356) and financial emergency (Article 360). Exams ask which list a subject falls in, which commission examined Centre-state relations (the Sarkaria and Punchhi Commissions), and how often each type of emergency has been declared. Remember that a financial emergency has never been declared in India, and that 'armed rebellion' replaced 'internal disturbance' as a ground for national emergency through the 44th Amendment. Practise the Centre-state relations and emergency provisions questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.