Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared emergency on 25 June 1975, which lasted for _____ months.

The Correct answer is 21 months.

Key Points

• The Emergency declared by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was imposed on 25 June 1975, and it lasted for a total of 21 months.
• It was declared under Article 352 of the Indian Constitution, citing "internal disturbance" as the reason.
• During this period, civil liberties were suspended, and the government gained extraordinary powers.
• The media was subjected to censorship, and opposition leaders were arrested to suppress dissent.
• This period is often referred to as one of the darkest chapters in Indian democracy due to the curtailment of fundamental rights.
• The Emergency officially ended on 21 March 1977, after which general elections were held, leading to the defeat of the ruling Congress party.
• The Janata Party, a coalition of opposition parties, came to power following the elections.

 Additional Information

• Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
  • Indira Gandhi was the first female Prime Minister of India and served from 1966–1977 and 1980–1984.
  • She was the daughter of Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister.
  • Indira Gandhi was known for her centralizing leadership style, strategic decisions like the Green Revolution, and controversial policies like the Emergency of 1975-77.
  • She was assassinated in 1984 by her Sikh bodyguards following Operation Blue Star.
• Article 352
  • Article 352 of the Indian Constitution allows the President to declare a state of Emergency in case of war, external aggression, or internal disturbance.
  • Under this provision, the central government assumes greater control over state governments, and citizens' fundamental rights may be restricted.
  • It has been amended by the 44th Amendment Act to replace "internal disturbance" with "armed rebellion" as a condition for declaring Emergency, to prevent misuse.