In the year 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency in India, plunging the nation into an unprecedented constitutional crisis. Over the next two years, the fundamental rights of Indian citizens were suspended, democracy was dismantled, and an authoritarian regime emerged. Even today, those 21 months are widely considered the darkest period in India's democratic history.
We often hear discussions about the Emergency, but how many truly understand what transpired during that time? Why was a national emergency imposed in the first place? What compelled a sitting Prime Minister to take such a drastic step? Was there a justifiable reason behind it? Let us examine the chain of events and constitutional loopholes that led to the Emergency of 1975.
What is a National Emergency?
A National Emergency is a legal provision under Article 352 of the Indian Constitution that allows for a temporary suspension of fundamental rights when the nation faces extraordinary threats. During such times, a democratic country may function as an autocracy. According to Article 352, the President can declare a National Emergency if he is satisfied that India's security is under threat due to war, external aggression, or armed rebellion. Thus, a National Emergency can be declared under three circumstances:
- War
- External aggression
- Internal disturbances
Surprisingly, 1975 was not the first time India experienced an emergency. Independent India had already faced two earlier emergencies before this.
Previous Emergencies in Independent India
The first emergency was declared in 1962 by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru during the Indo-China War. During this period, the government expanded its authority, including censoring the media and detaining citizens without trial. Although the war ended within a month, Nehru did not immediately revoke the emergency—it remained in effect until 1968.
The second emergency was declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1971, during the Indo-Pakistan War. Although this war lasted only two weeks, the emergency continued until 1977—an astonishing six years.
While both previous emergencies were triggered by external threats, the third emergency declared on June 25, 1975, was unique. It stemmed from internal political developments and had a far more direct and devastating impact on the common citizens of India.
The Political Trigger: 1971 Elections and Legal Battles
The roots of the 1975 Emergency trace back to the 1971 Lok Sabha elections, in which the Congress Party secured a sweeping majority by winning 352 out of 518 seats. Indira Gandhi herself triumphed in the Raebareli constituency, defeating her opponent Raj Narain by over 110,000 votes.
However, Raj Narain filed an election petition in the Allahabad High Court, challenging the validity of her election. Under Section 123 of the Representation of the People Act (RP Act), a candidate's election can be declared invalid if found guilty of corrupt practices.While the court dismissed most of the allegations raised by Raj Narain, it upheld two significant findings:
- Misuse of Government Machinery: Government resources including stages, loudspeakers, police forces, and other administrative assistance—were used during Indira Gandhi's campaign. These arrangements were orchestrated by Yashpal Kapoor, the District Magistrate, and other senior officials of Uttar Pradesh, in violation of the law.
- Use of a Government Officer as an Election Agent: Yashpal Kapoor, a gazetted officer on special duty in the Prime Minister's Secretariat, resigned from his post on January 13, 1971. His resignation was accepted the next day, but formal approval was received only on January 25. However, Kapoor had already delivered election speeches on January 7 and January 19, which constituted the illegal use of a government officer in an election campaign.
The Allahabad High Court Verdict
On June 12, 1975, the Allahabad High Court ruled that Indira Gandhi had engaged in electoral malpractice. The court declared her election invalid and disqualified her from holding any elected office for six years, effectively ending her tenure as Prime Minister.
Indira Gandhi immediately appealed to the Supreme Court, which granted a conditional stay on the judgment. As per the Supreme Court's order dated June 24, she was allowed to continue as a Member of Parliament and remain the Prime Minister but was barred from participating in parliamentary proceedings or voting.
Despite this partial relief, Indira Gandhi was dissatisfied. She demanded a complete stay on the verdict, but constitutional protocols did not permit such an action. Realizing that a final verdict against her could force her resignation, she sought an alternate route: the declaration of a state of emergency.
The Declaration of Emergency: A Constitutional Overreach
To evade the judicial process, Indira Gandhi approached President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed and advised him to declare a national emergency. In her letter to the President, she stated that there was imminent danger to India's security and that the matter was urgent.
Years later, in a 1978 interview with journalist Jonathan Dimbleby, she was asked what the actual threat to national security was. Her vague response: “It was obvious, wasn't it? The whole subcontinent had been destabilized.”
In reality, the only “danger” at the time was the court order disqualifying her. Rather than pursuing legal remedies, the Prime Minister suspended democratic processes to retain power. Though some have argued that internal disturbances justified the emergency—pointing to protests in Bihar and Gujarat—the timeline reveals that those movements occurred in 1974. The emergency was declared in June 1975, immediately after the Supreme Court's partial stay.
Most alarmingly, even her Cabinet was kept in the dark. Many ministers were informed of the emergency just hours before its public announcement.
On June 25, 1975, following Indira Gandhi's advice, President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed signed the proclamation, and India officially entered its darkest phase. That very night, opposition leaders like Jayaprakash Narayan, Morarji Desai, and L.K. Advani were arrested. The government cut power to newspaper offices in Delhi to prevent the publication of the next day's editions.
On the morning of June 26, 1975, Indira Gandhi addressed the nation on All India Radio:
The President has declared an Emergency. There is nothing to panic about.
Thus began one of the most traumatic periods in India's democratic history.
Repression During the Emergency
With civil liberties suspended, mass arrests of opposition leaders and protesters took place. Over 100,000 people were detained without trial. Dissent within the Congress Party was crushed—those who opposed the Prime Minister were forced to resign or face imprisonment. Even veterans of the freedom struggle were not spared.
Sanjay Gandhi, Indira Gandhi's son, played a key role during the Emergency. Known for his authoritarian tendencies, he aggressively pursued slum demolition drives in Delhi and initiated a forced sterilization campaign across India.
Men and women, both married and unmarried, were abducted from homes, bus stops, and farms. They were taken to camps where mass sterilizations were conducted in unsanitary conditions. Even tubectomies were forced upon women. A staggering 8.1 million sterilizations took place within a year. Many lost their lives due to botched procedures.
End of the Emergency and Political Fallout
The Emergency finally ended on March 21, 1977, after 21 harrowing months. But the damage was done. The public backlash was fierce, and in the general elections of 1977, both Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi suffered humiliating defeats. For the first time, a non-Congress government led by the Janata Party came to power in India.
Historian Ramachandra Guha later criticized Indira Gandhi, noting that she had a strained relationship with democratic norms. He cited a private conversation where she reportedly said that democracy “throws up mediocre people” and “gives strength to the most vocal, regardless of their knowledge or understanding.”
While she may have taken bold steps in foreign policy, this episode—the Emergency of 1975—will forever remain a black mark on her legacy and a grim chapter in the history of Indian democracy.
Conclusion
The Emergency of 1975 was not just a political maneuver it was a direct assault on the very foundations of India's democracy. What began as a constitutional provision intended for national crises was instead misused to serve the political survival of one individual. It led to the suspension of civil liberties, censorship of the press, mass arrests, and horrifying human rights violations under the guise of administrative control.
While India eventually restored its democratic fabric, the scars of those 21 months remain deeply etched in the collective memory of the nation. The experience stands as a chilling reminder of how fragile democracy can become when power goes unchecked. It also underlines the need for constant vigilance, accountability, and the unyielding spirit of the people to resist authoritarianism in any form.
Indira Gandhi's legacy, despite her diplomatic and leadership achievements, will always be shadowed by the dark stain of the Emergency. For a country that won its freedom through a long and painful struggle, the events of 1975 serve as a timeless warning: democracy must be protected not just through institutions, but through the courage of individuals who dare to speak the truth, even in the face of power.