50th Anniversary of Emergency: Remembering India’s Darkest 21 Months

In June 2025, India marks the 50th anniversary of the Emergency — a period that still sends shivers down the spine of anyone who values democracy. On June 25, 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of Emergency, plunging the world’s largest democracy into 21 months of suspended rights, press censorship, and political suppression. Half a century later, the scars of that era remain a reminder: democracy, once taken for granted, can slip away overnight. As we reflect on the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, the lessons are more relevant than ever — especially in an age where authoritarian tendencies lurk in plain sight.

What Led to the Emergency?

Let’s cut to the chase — the Emergency wasn’t some spontaneous reaction to national chaos. The spark? A court verdict in Allahabad. On June 12, 1975, the Allahabad High Court found Indira Gandhi guilty of electoral malpractices during the 1971 Lok Sabha elections and invalidated her election. Facing the prospect of losing power, she chose to clamp down rather than step down.

With the stroke of a pen (and the backing of then-President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed), civil liberties were suspended, opposition leaders were jailed, and press freedom was throttled. What followed was a textbook example of how power can corrupt absolutely.

Life Under the Emergency: A Democracy in Chains

Imagine a country where you could be arrested without trial, where newspapers published blank spaces instead of news, and where dissent was a crime. That was India between 1975 and 1977.

• Over 100,000 political opponents jailed, from Jayaprakash Narayan to Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• Censorship orders ensured only government-approved narratives made it to print.
• Forced sterilizations and mass evictions in the name of development became the norm, with Sanjay Gandhi’s policies leading to untold human misery.

The Emergency wasn’t just political overreach — it was a full-frontal assault on the soul of the nation.

The End and Aftermath

By March 1977, sensing the tide of public anger (or perhaps convinced by her advisors), Indira Gandhi lifted the Emergency and called elections. The result? A historic drubbing. The Janata Party stormed to power, and for the first time, voters showed that democracy might bend — but it doesn’t break easily in India.

But let’s not kid ourselves: while the Emergency officially ended, the fear it planted still lurks beneath the surface. Every attempt to muzzle the press, suppress dissent, or bypass institutions since then carries the echo of those dark days.

50 Years Later: Why the Emergency Still Matters

As we mark the 50th anniversary of the Emergency, it’s tempting to see it as history — distant, done, dusted. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: the conditions that made the Emergency possible — unchecked power, weak institutions, populist leaders — haven’t gone away.

From the weaponization of laws to clamp down on protests, to growing attacks on press freedom, the shadow of the Emergency looms large. The anniversary isn’t just about remembering the past — it’s about staying vigilant in the present.

The 50th anniversary of Emergency serves as both a memorial and a warning. We must honour those who resisted, question those in power, and protect the democratic ideals that define India. Because history doesn’t just repeat — it rhymes. And if we’re not careful, we might just hear those dark verses again.