Discuss the effects of Emergency on the following aspects of our polity.
• Effects on civil liberties for citizens.
• Impact on relationship between the Executive and Judiciary
• Functioning of Mass Media
• Working of the Police and Bureaucracy.
• In June 1975 during emergency, protest, strikes, public agitations were disallowed. The government made large scale arrest under preventive detention. Arrested political person could not challenge arrest grounds to even under Habeas Corpus petition. Fundamental rights given under article 19 were automatically suspended throughput the country. In April 1976, finally it was proved that the government could take away citizen’s right to life and liberty by overruling of the high court under supreme courts and accept government plea.
• The president by order can also suspend the right to move the court to enforce any other fundamental rights. All proceedings pending in any court for the enforcement of the rights so mentioned may remain suspended for the period during which proclamation is in force or for short period. The parliament brought many new changes in constitution which declared that the election of Prime Minister, President, and Vice President could not be challenged in the court. 42nd amendment was passed to bring various changes in the constitution.
• Press censorship was banned and the functioning of the mass media like freedom of press and newspapers were need to get prior approval before publishing of any of their material. In emergency protests, strikes and public agitation were banned or had put to halt. Various basic and essential fundamental rights were suspended. Kannada writer Shivavarma Karnath awarded with Padma Bhushan and Padmashri writer Fanishwarnath Renu returned their awards in protest against suspension of democracy. Some press and media used to work underground and circulated pamphlets while newspapers like Statesman and Indian Express left blank spaces where the news items were censored.
• During emergency police and bureaucracy are entirely committed to the executive. They followed the orders of the executive. Federation was changed into unitary form of government. Strikes were banned. Large number of arrest was made by the police without trials.