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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (June 25, 2026) said the Emergency was a direct assault on the Constitution as the period witnessed the suspension of civil liberties, curbs on freedom of expression, and an assault on institutions that are the bedrock of Indian democracy.
Revisiting Emergency through images
ARCHITECTS OF THE EMERGENCY: Prime Minister Indira Gandhi with President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, when she called on him on August 21, 1974. Mrs. Ahmed is at left. On her cabinet’s advice, President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed proclaimed Emergency under Article 352 citing “internal disturbances”. Photo: The Hindu Archives
THE MARCH THAT SHOOK MRS. GANDHI: Socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan is seen seated outside the locked gate of the Patna Secretariat while leading the anti-corruption movement in Bihar in October 1974. As JP began touring more states, he also united several anti-Congress parties and the protests against Indira Gandhi government grew, which was seen as a prime reason for her recommending the Emergency. Photo: The Hindu Archives
JP’s MOVEMENT: JP leading a ‘march to Parliament’ in Delhi in March 1975. His movement brought an end to the Congress rule at the Centre for the first time in 1977. Different political parties came together under the banner of his Janata Party to provide the country its first non-Congress government. Photo: The Hindu Archives
GUJARAT REVOLT: Morarji Desai (centre) sat on an indefinite fast to press for early election in Gujarat. Elections were held in June and for the first time and the only time, Gujarat threw a hung Assembly verdict. Two weeks later, Emergency was imposed.
RAILWAYS STRIKE: This image, which later became a symbol of the state of Emergency, was taken when trade union leader George Fernandes was arrested during the all India railway strike in May 1974. Fernandes led the agitation demanding pay revision and eight-hour work shifts for railway workers. Despite his arrest, about 70% of railway workers stayed off from work, bringing the country’s largest PSU to a standstill.
A LEGAL BATTLE LOST: Indira Gandhi lost the legal battle in the Allahabad High Court in a petition filed by Raj Narain (in picture), challenging her election in 1971 from Rae Bareli in Uttar Pradesh. The conviction meant she ceases to be an MP.
EMERGENCY IMPOSED: The first page of The Hindu dated June 26, 1975, reports President proclaiming Emergency, on its front page.
WHEN A CM PROTESTED: Karunanidhi, then the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, distributes handmade pamphlets to public near Anna Statue in Mount Road to protest press censorship during Emergency. On July 12, 1975, he addressed a mass meeting on the Marina Beach in Madras, declaring there was neither an internal nor external threat to India and called upon the vast concourse to take a pledge to defend their freedoms. His government was subsequently dismissed. This image was taken from a photo display at Kalaignar Karuvoolam. Photo: M. Vedhan
THE STORY OF THE UNSEEN: When JP was addressing a meeting in Vijayawada against the Emergency in 1975, three three youngsters - Yalamanchali Sivaji, Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad and Kambhampati Hari Babu - can be seen. All of them became MPs subsequently. Sitting in the audience, but missed in the click is a young man who was among several people arrested for opposing the Emergency. It was M. Venkaiah Naidu, who went on to be the Vice-president of India. This picture was shared with The Hindu by Dr. Sivaji. Photo: Special Arrangement
DMK FACES THE WRATH: Young DMK leaders M.K. Stalin, Arcot Veerasamy, Murasoli Maran were among those detained in MISA. C. Chittibab, former Mayor of Madras, died in custody while trying to protect Stalin. Photo shows the cell at the erstwhile Madras Central Prison where Chief Minister M.K. Stalin was detained under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act during the Emergency.
THE GOVERNMENT NARRATIVE: In this image shared by the Press Information Bureau, some of the members of the Indian community in London, called on Indira Gandhi, in New Delhi on September 15, 1975. They had participated in the massive demonstration in support of Emergency measures and against the distortions by the British press and BBC. Photo: Special Arrangement
THE JANATA GOVERNMENT: Morarji Desai (left) talking to L.K. Advani (right) while Jayaprakash Narayan watching them, in New Delhi on January 22, 1977. This photograph wouldn’t have been possible prior the Emergency given their political views. But the anti-Congress leaders joined hands to form the Janata government, handing out Congress its first defeat at the Centre. Moraji Desai became the Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, the I&B Minister, while JP chose to stay away from electoral politics. Photo: The Hindu Archives
ENDING EMERGENCY: Indira Gandhi called for fresh elections in March 1977 and released all political prisoners. The picture shows Ms. Gandhi meeting leaders of the Opposition parties in New Delhi on January 28, 1977.
NEW LEADERS RISE: The Emergency gave birth to a new wave of politicians, Chandra Shekhar being a prominent face. He and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who were ministers in the Janata Government, eventually became prime ministers.
DRACONIAN LAW: George Fernandes and Mulayam Singh Yadav are seen taking part in at a function of remembrance of political detenues of Emergency, in Lucknow, on June 26, 2006. Both the leaders were arrested during the period when the infamous Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) was in force. The Act allowed detention of people without warrants for an indefinite period.
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Paying homage to all those who steadfastly defended democratic values during one of the "darkest chapters in India's history", Prime Minister Modi said the Emergency also revealed the extraordinary courage of countless citizens who refused to remain silent and upheld the ideals enshrined in the Constitution.
Today, we pay homage to all those who steadfastly defended democratic values during one of the darkest chapters in India's history, the Emergency.
The Emergency was a direct assault on our Constitution. It witnessed the suspension of civil liberties, curbs on freedom of…
"The Emergency was a direct assault on our Constitution. It witnessed the suspension of civil liberties, curbs on freedom of expression, arrests of political leaders, journalists, social workers and an assault on institutions that are the bedrock of our democracy," he said in a post on X referring to the proclamation of Emergency on this day in 1975.
The Prime Minister said for people, the Constitution is an embodiment of the aspirations, rights and duties of 140 crore Indians.
"We reaffirm our collective commitment to safeguarding constitutional values. Guided by the spirit of our Constitution, we will build an India that remains ever committed to justice, liberty, equality and fraternity," he said.
Between June 25, 1975 and March 21, 1977, India was placed under a state of Emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution.
Since 2025, the Narendra Modi government is observing the day as 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas'.
A gazette notification in this effect had noted that Emergency was declared on June 25, 1975, following which there was "gross abuse of power by the government of the day and people of India were subjected to excesses and atrocities".
In another post on X, the Prime Minister said the 'Samvidhan Hatya Diwas' also reminds everyone of that "dark period" when "Indian democracy was brutally crushed".
"It inspires us to always remain committed to protecting democracy, the Constitution, and citizens' rights. My respectful salutations to all the luminaries who opposed the Emergency," he said in the post in Hindi.
The formal declaration of Emergency marked a turning point in Indian constitutional history.The executive acquired overriding powers, and state authority was brought under central control.
Following the proclamation, constitutional safeguards were systematically suspended.
The Emergency saw strict control over the press and public information through institutional mechanisms and administrative orders.
Parliament passed a series of constitutional amendments during the Emergency that weakened judicial review and institutional checks.One of the most controversial aspects of the Emergency was the forced sterilisation campaign.
The Emergency came to a formal end in March 1977, following a political shift triggered by general elections.
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