Read the following passage and answer the following questions.

The emergency and the period around it can be described as a period of the constitutional crisis because it had its origins in the constitutional battle over the jurisdiction of the Parliament and the judiciary. On the other hand it was also a period of political crisis. The party in power had an absolute majority and yet, its leadership decided to suspend the democratic process.

a) Why is the period of emergency described as a period of political crisis?

b) what were the issues of dispute between judiciary and parliament during the 1970s?

c) how did the role of mass protest during emergency reflect the attributed aspiration of people?

● On 25 June 1975, the government declared that there was a threat of internal stability of the country invoked Article 352 of the Constitution.

● According to Article 352, the government had the right to declare a state of emergency on the grounds of any external threat or a threat of internal disturbances.

● The government felt that a grave crisis had arisen which made it necessary to declare the state of emergency.

● According to the Constitution, an emergency is an extraordinary condition in which normal democratic politics cannot function.

● The Constitution provides for special powers to the government once an emergency is declared.

● Once an emergency was proclaimed, the federal distribution of powers remains practically suspended and all the powers were concentrated in the hands of the union government.

● It also restricted all the Fundamental Rights during this period. On the night of 25 June 1975, the Prime Minister recommended the imposition of Emergency to President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed.

● He issued the proclamation immediately. After midnight, the electricity to all the major newspaper offices was disconnected.

● In the early morning, a large number of leaders and workers of the opposition parties were arrested.

● The Cabinet was informed about it at a special meeting at 6 a.m. on 26 June, after all this had taken place.

b)

The issues of dispute between judiciary and Parliament during the 1970’s were:

i. Abridgement of fundamental rights.

ii. Curtailment of the right to property

iii. Abridge fundamental rights to give effect to directive principles of the state policy.

c)

The role of mass protest during an emergency :

ANSWER: The role of mass protest during an emergency can be reflected in the following ways:

i. It reflected the attributed aspiration of people

ii. It was a call for a nationwide strike

iii. It led to mass agitations

iv. It was a period of railway strikes.