In 1975, Indira Gandhi, the then-Indian Prime Minister, declared an Emergency, which lasted almost two years

During what's referred to as the ‘block spot’ on India's democracy, there were widespread arrests, severe curtailment of civil liberties and the press was heavily censored

Why was the Emergency declared?

In January 1966, Indira Gandhi was elected as the Prime Minister of India

Back then, it was alleged that Indira Gandhi's election agent Yashpal Kapoor was a government servant and that she used government officials for her election-related work

Later, a court convicted her of electoral malpractices, and she was disqualified from the Parliament. Not just that, she was also banned for six years from holding any elected post

On June 12, 1975, the Allahabad High Court also declared Gandhi guilty of electoral malpractices and she was debarred from holding any elected post

According to reports, these were some of the prime factors that led to the imposition of the Emergency

Under Article 352 of the Constitution, an order was issued by then-President Fakhruddin Ali on June 25, 1975

He cited ‘internal disturbances’ as the reason for invoking the order that cancelled elections and gave the prime minister the ultimate powers

However, a few loyalists, including then West Bengal chief minister Siddhartha Shankar Ray, advised Indira Gandhi to move forward with the decision

During the Emergency, all the fundamental rights of the citizens were curtailed, several Opposition political leaders were sent to jail and the media was censored