What was the duration of Emergency in India?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 1:

The correct option is 1: **25 June, 1975 - 21 March, 1977**.

This period marks the imposition of the 'Internal Emergency' in India, a highly controversial period officially proclaimed by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed under Article 352 of the Constitution on the advice of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. The Emergency was declared late on the night of June 25, 1975, citing threats to the "internal disturbance" of the country, although it is widely considered an attempt by the government to retain power amidst rising political opposition and legal challenges (such as the Allahabad High Court judgment against Indira Gandhi). During this 21-month period, fundamental rights were suspended, strict censorship was imposed on the press, and political opponents were arrested. The formal revocation of this specific emergency proclamation occurred on March 21, 1977, just before the Lok Sabha elections were held, which ended the Emergency and led to the defeat of the Congress Party.

The incorrect option is 2:

Option 2, **25 June, 1975-15 May, 1978**, is incorrect because it overextends the duration of the Emergency by more than a year. While the Emergency began correctly on June 25, 1975, the state of emergency was officially lifted in March 1977. The subsequent Janata Party government, which took office after the 1977 elections, worked to restore democratic norms and reverse the constitutional changes made during the Emergency. Extending the end date to May 15, 1978, incorrectly implies that the restrictive political environment and suspension of rights continued long after the March 1977 general elections.

The incorrect option is 3:

Option 3, **25 June, 1975-3 January, 1977**, is incorrect because it specifies an end date that is too early. Although the Emergency was eventually lifted and elections were announced, the actual official revocation of the proclamation came in March 1977. While the atmosphere may have begun to shift around the time elections were announced, the constitutional state of emergency remained in force beyond January 3, 1977. The two-month gap between this date and the official lifting of the emergency makes this option historically inaccurate regarding the precise constitutional duration.

The incorrect option is 4:

Option 4, **5 November, 1971-21 March, 1977**, is factually incorrect as it confuses two different Emergency proclamations. The date November 5, 1971, refers to the declaration of a National Emergency under Article 352 based on "external aggression" during the Indo-Pak War (Bangladesh Liberation War). This external emergency was never revoked and ran concurrently with the infamous Internal Emergency declared on June 25, 1975, which is the emergency the question typically refers to. Although both were technically in effect until March 1977, the question seeks the duration of the internal political crisis period which started in June 1975. The 1971 emergency was based on war, not internal disturbance, making this starting date misleading for the context of the 1975-77 political upheaval.