Class 12 Political Science Chapter 6: The Crisis of Democratic Order
Chapter overview
The Emergency, its political context, civil-liberty restrictions, resistance and the 1977 electoral verdict. These Class 12 Political Science chapter notes organise the key ideas, developments and terms for focused study. Read the explanations alongside the prescribed NCERT textbook, and use the revision prompts to check how well you can connect causes, processes and outcomes.
How to study this chapter: identify the central question, explain each development in its political context, and support answers with relevant examples and evidence from the textbook.
This chapter examines the political crisis leading to the imposition of Emergency in 1975, its consequences, and the subsequent restoration of democracy. It covers the economic background, constitutional conflicts, JP movement, and the 1977 elections that ousted Indira Gandhi.
1. Background to Emergency
Political Context:
- Post-1967: Increasing polarization in party politics
- Tensions between government and judiciary over constitutional interpretations
- Congress alleged Supreme Court was obstructing pro-poor welfare programs
- Opposition accused Indira Gandhi of personalizing authority
- 1971: Congress won elections on "Garibi Hatao" slogan but conditions didn't improve
Economic Crisis (1972-75):
- Bangladesh war strain: 8 million refugees, US aid stopped
- Global oil price shock leading to inflation (23% in 1973, 30% in 1974)
- Low industrial growth, high unemployment (especially rural)
- Government froze employee salaries to reduce expenditure
- Failed monsoons (1972-73) causing 8% decline in food grain output
Important Questions:
- What were the major economic challenges India faced in early 1970s?
- How did the Bangladesh crisis impact India's economy?
2. Popular Protests and Movements
Gujarat Movement (Jan 1974):
- Student protests against price rise and corruption
- Joined by opposition parties, led to President's Rule
- Morarji Desai's indefinite fast forced elections (June 1975)
- Congress defeated in Gujarat elections
Bihar Movement (March 1974):
- Student protests invited Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) to lead
- JP gave call for "Total Revolution" (Sampoorna Kranti)
- Demanded dismissal of Bihar government
- National appeal with bandhs, gheraos, strikes
- 1975: Massive rally at Delhi's Ramlila Grounds
Railway Strike (May 1974):
- Led by George Fernandes (National Coordination Committee)
- Demands related to bonus and service conditions
- Declared illegal, leaders arrested, territorial army deployed
- Called off after 20 days without settlement
"Indira is India, India is Indira" - D.K. Barooah, Congress President (1974)
Important Questions:
- What was the significance of JP movement in Bihar?
- Why did the 1974 railway strike become politically significant?
3. Constitutional Crisis and Emergency Declaration
Judiciary vs Parliament Conflict:
- Can Parliament abridge Fundamental Rights? (SC said no)
- Can Parliament curtail right to property via amendment? (SC said no)
- 42nd Amendment attempted to override judicial review
- Kesavananda Bharati case (1973): Basic structure doctrine
- Controversial appointment of A.N. Ray as CJI superseding senior judges
Immediate Trigger:
- 12 June 1975: Allahabad HC declared Indira Gandhi's election invalid
- Petition by Raj Narain (used government servants for campaign)
- 24 June: SC partial stay - could remain MP but not vote in Lok Sabha
- 25 June: JP's massive rally calling for army/police disobedience
Emergency Declaration:
- 25 June 1975: President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed proclaimed Emergency
- Under Article 352 (threat of internal disturbance)
- Opposition leaders arrested overnight
- Press censorship imposed (newspapers needed pre-approval)
- Fundamental Rights suspended including right to move courts
1973: Kesavananda Bharati case establishes basic structure doctrine
Jan 1974: Gujarat protests begin
Mar 1974: Bihar movement starts
May 1974: Railway strike
12 Jun 1975: Allahabad HC verdict
25 Jun 1975: Emergency declared
Important Questions:
- What was the significance of Kesavananda Bharati case?
- What were the immediate events leading to Emergency declaration?
4. Consequences of Emergency
Political Consequences:
- Mass arrests under preventive detention (over 1 lakh people)
- Ban on RSS and Jamait-e-Islami
- Protests and strikes banned
- 42nd Amendment passed (extended Lok Sabha term to 6 years)
- Elections postponed by one year
Judicial Consequences:
- ADM Jabalpur case (1976): SC upheld suspension of habeas corpus
- Judiciary seen as surrendering to executive
- Later became motivation for judicial activism post-Emergency
Resistance to Emergency:
- Underground newsletters and protests
- Newspapers left blank spaces for censored content
- Writers returned awards (Shivarama Karanth, Fanishwarnath Renu)
- Magazines like Seminar and Mainstream closed rather than submit
Key Controversies:
- Forced sterilizations (especially in north India)
- Demolition of slums in Turkman Gate (Delhi)
- Excessive power to Sanjay Gandhi (extra-constitutional authority)
- Shah Commission later documented Emergency excesses
5. End of Emergency and 1977 Elections
Janata Party Formation:
- Merger of opposition parties (Congress-O, BLD, Socialist Party, Jana Sangh)
- Leadership of Jayaprakash Narayan
- Congress for Democracy (Jagjivan Ram) later merged with Janata
- Slogan: "Save Democracy"
1977 Election Results:
| Party | Seats | Vote % |
|---|---|---|
| Janata Party | 295 | 41.3% |
| Congress | 154 | 34.5% |
| Others | 93 | 24.2% |
Regional Variations:
- North India: Congress wiped out (lost every seat in UP, Bihar, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi)
- South India: Congress performed well (swept Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka)
- Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi both lost their seats
Janata Government (1977-79):
- Morarji Desai became PM after leadership struggle
- Factional conflicts between Desai, Charan Singh, Jagjivan Ram
- Appointed Shah Commission to investigate Emergency excesses
- Failed to develop coherent policies
- Collapsed in 28 months due to infighting
Important Questions:
- Why did Congress lose so badly in north India but not south in 1977?
- What were the reasons for Janata Party's failure to sustain government?
6. Legacy and Lessons
Democratic Strengthening:
- Demonstrated difficulty of eliminating democracy in India
- Voters punished anti-democratic government severely
- Later governments more cautious about civil liberties
Constitutional Changes:
- 44th Amendment (1978) - Made "armed rebellion" only ground for internal emergency
- Requires written recommendation from Cabinet to President
- Judicial review of emergency proclamation allowed
Party System Changes:
- Congress stopped being "umbrella party" accommodating all views
- Rise of "non-Congressism" as opposition strategy
- Beginning of OBC political assertion (Mandal Commission appointed)
Enduring Questions:
- Balance between protest rights and governance stability
- Police/administration vulnerability to political pressures
- Role of judiciary in protecting civil liberties
Key Takeaways:
- Emergency was both constitutional and political crisis
- Demonstrated both fragility and resilience of Indian democracy
- Changed nature of Congress party and opposition politics
- Led to greater awareness of civil liberties importance
- "Vaccination against dictatorship" - painful but strengthened democracy
Quick revision
- State the chapter’s central political question in your own words.
- Connect major causes, turning points and consequences rather than memorising isolated facts.
- Use precise terms and examples from the prescribed NCERT chapter.
- Organise long answers with an introduction, linked points and a clear conclusion.
Important questions for practice
- Explain the major developments and ideas discussed in this chapter and show how they are connected.
- Analyse the causes and consequences of one important change covered in the chapter.
- Compare the key political positions, institutions or processes discussed in the chapter.
- How does this chapter help explain a wider change in Indian or world politics?
These are practice prompts, not verified previous-year questions. Develop answers from the prescribed textbook and notes above.