On the night of June 25, 1975, something unthinkable happened in the world’s largest democracy. India, without warning, slipped into an authoritarian silence. Streets remained calm, but the Constitution trembled. Fundamental rights were suspended. The press went dark. Political opponents disappeared into jails. And for the next 21 months, a democracy that had proudly stood on the strength of its institutions and civil liberties operated under a shadow of fear.
The Emergency wasn’t declared because the country was at war, or because of widespread civil unrest. It was triggered by a political crisis — one that threatened the authority of the sitting Prime Minister. That same month, the Allahabad High Court found Indira Gandhi guilty of electoral malpractice and declared her election to the Lok Sabha void. Instead of stepping down or appealing through normal legal means, a sweeping Emergency was imposed under Article 352 of the Constitution, citing “internal disturbances.” The real disturbance, however, was political vulnerability.
A System Silenced
Once the Emergency was in place, institutions that were meant to serve as checks on executive power began to buckle. Parliament became a rubber stamp. The opposition was either jailed or intimidated into submission. Laws were passed in haste, often without proper debate or scrutiny.
The judiciary, traditionally the last line of defence for civil liberties, also came under pressure. In the now-infamous ADM Jabalpur case, the Supreme Court ruled that even the right to life could be suspended during an Emergency. Only one judge — Justice H.R. Khanna — dissented. He was never appointed Chief Justice, despite being next in line, a clear message to those within the system who dared to defy.
The Press Gagged
A democratic society is only as strong as its ability to question power. But during the Emergency, press freedom was one of the first victims. Censorship orders were sent to newsrooms. Editors were forced to submit reports for approval before publication. Some newspapers chose silence over compromise — The Indian Express left its editorial column blank in protest. Others tried to toe the line, often reluctantly, knowing the risks of defiance were steep.
Mass Arrests and the Fear of Freedom
With civil liberties suspended, the state moved swiftly. Tens of thousands of people — political workers, student leaders, trade unionists, journalists, and ordinary citizens — were detained without trial under the draconian Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA). Preventive detention became a tool not to protect order, but to eliminate political opposition.
This was not law and order. This was fear in uniform.
The Sanjay Gandhi Era: Coercion as Policy
Alongside political repression, the period saw a troubling rise in executive overreach in the name of “development.” Sanjay Gandhi, the Prime Minister’s son, emerged as an unelected power center, pushing aggressive programmes that wreaked havoc on the urban poor and rural communities.
In the name of population control, forced sterilisation drives were conducted across the country. Lakhs of men, mostly from marginalised sections, were sterilised — often without consent, sometimes under physical threat or inducement. Entire slums were demolished, particularly in Delhi, where the infamous Turkman Gate incident saw people killed during protests against forced evictions.
Torture Behind Closed Doors
The Emergency wasn’t just about censorship and detentions — it was about breaking resistance. Political prisoners were often subjected to degrading treatment and torture. Stories from jails across India tell of beatings, electric shocks, solitary confinement, and psychological abuse. The goal was clear: silence voices, not just physically, but mentally.
Many, like Lawrence Fernandes — brother of opposition leader George Fernandes — endured long stretches of torture under fabricated charges. Others, like student activist Suresh Kumar in Bengaluru, were brutalised simply for raising their voices. These stories never made it to the newspapers then — they were hidden behind the walls of silence the regime had erected.
42nd Amendment: Reshaping the Constitution
Perhaps the most audacious act during the Emergency was the passing of the 42nd Amendment — a sweeping constitutional change that came to be known as the “Mini-Constitution.” Among other things, it curtailed the powers of the judiciary, extended the term of legislatures, and made future constitutional amendments non-justiciable.
What made the amendment even more controversial was how it was passed. Introduced on a Saturday — an unusual move for Parliament — it was cleared in record time with little debate and almost no opposition present. It was notified on a Sunday. These weekend manoeuvres were not procedural quirks — they were deliberate strategies to avoid scrutiny.
Opposition Crushed
Leaders across the political spectrum were imprisoned: Jayaprakash Narayan, Morarji Desai, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Charan Singh, George Fernandes, L.K. Advani, and many more. Some were charged with crimes, others weren’t even given reasons. The idea was simple: if the opposition could be dismantled, resistance would collapse.
But it didn’t.
Despite the state’s machinery of suppression, a quiet resistance simmered — underground newsletters, whispered conversations, and international attention began to mount.
India Didn’t Fall — It Endured
When elections were unexpectedly announced in March 1977, many believed the ruling regime would win comfortably. Instead, the people responded with clarity. Indira Gandhi lost her seat, and the Congress party was swept out of power. It was a defining moment: proof that, while institutions may falter, the will of the people still matters in a democracy.
A Lesson Etched in History
The Emergency was not just a political episode — it was a warning. A reminder that democracy is not self-sustaining. That laws, if stripped of ethics, can become instruments of control. And that the Constitution, no matter how beautifully written, is only as strong as the people’s willingness to defend it.
Today, as India marks 50 years since that night, the lesson remains unchanged: vigilance is the price of freedom. And freedom, once lost, doesn’t always return so easily.
