CHAPTER 15 : The Crisis of Democratic Order NCERT SOLUTION CLASS 12TH POLITICAL SCIENCE | EDUGROWN NOTES

Very Short Answer Type Questions:

Q1. What factors led to crisis of democratic order in Indian Politics?
Answer: 1. Emergence of Indira Gandhi with a lot of popularity.
2. Party competitions had been created.
3. Relation between the government and judiciary had become tense.

Q2. Mention the factors which led Naxalite movement in backward states.
Answer: 1. Forced labour
2. Exploitation by moneylenders
3. Exploitation of resources by outsiders.

Q3. What was Shah Commission of inquiry?
How did government react to it? “
Answer: The Shah commission was appointed in May 1977 by Janata Party government headed by S.C. Shah, retired chief justice of Supreme Court of India to look into the matter of:
1. Allegations of abuse of authority.
2. Excesses and malpractices.
3. Actions taken in the name of emergency proclaimed on 25 June 1975.
The government appeared before commission against various evidences but she refused to answer any question.

Q4. Describe any two outcomes of Naxalite Movement.
Answer: The ‘Naxalites’ were the Marxist and Leninist Agricultural workers of Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and adjoining areas who organised massive agitations against economic injustice and inequality and demanded redistribution of land to cultivators.

Q5. Mention circumstances to be characterised for imposition of emergency?
Answer: 1. Emergence of Indira Gandhi.
2. Power Politics became personalised and governmental authority was converted into personalization.
3. Bitter party competition.
4. Tense relations between the government and judiciary.

Q6. Who organised the first nationwide Satyagraha and Why?
Answer: It was organised by Jayaprakash Narayan for Indira Gandhi’s resignation, he appealed to people not to obey illegal and immoral orders by a massive demonstration on 25 June 1975. All these changed the political mood of the country against Congress.

Short Answer Type Questions :

Q1. Explain the reasons for students movement of 1974 in Bihar and the role played by Jayaprakash Narayan in this movement.
Answer: Reasons for Student’s Movement of 1974:
Students organised movement against:
1. Rising prices of food grains, cooking oil and other essential commodities.
2. Corruption in high places.
Assess Role played by Jai Prakash Narayan:
Satyagraha was organised by Jayaprakash Narayan for Indira Gandhi’s resignation, he appealed to people not to obey illegal and immoral orders by a massive demonstration on 25 June 1975. All these changed the political mood of the country against Congress.

Q2. Evaluate the consequences of declaration of emergency in 1975? 
Answer: 1. It effected civil liberties of peoples i.e.
in April11976 it was proved that the
government could take away citizens’ right to life and liberty by overruling of high courts under supreme courts and accepted government’s plea.
2. The forth-second Amendment was also passed to bring a series of changes in constitution.
3. It affected the functioning of mass media also as press censorship took place which banned freedom of press and newspapers, which were supposed to prior approval before they publish any material.
4. Despite of filing many petitions government claimed it not to be necessary to be informed the grounds to arrested persons.

Q3. Explain any two lessons learnt from emergency imposed in 1975.
Answer: The emergency brought out weaknesses and strengths both to India’s democracy:
1. First lesson was felt that it was extremely difficult to do away with democracy in India.
2. Secondly, it amended that internal emergency could be proclaimed only on the grounds of armed rebellion, on the advice to the president to proclaim emergency must be given in writing by council of ministers.
3. Thirdly, emergency made everyone more aware of civil liberties as well as courts also took an active role in protecting civil liberties of individuals.

Q4. Examine the legacy of emergency of 1975 in India.
Answer: The legacy of emergency was felt in every
sphere of people’s life and politics:
1. Between the elections of 1977 and 1980, Congress identified itself with particular ideology, claiming to be only socialist and pro-poor party.
2. The concept of non-Congression was created among oppositions parties.
3. The issues of welfare of backward classes began to dominate politics i. e. northern states elected non¬Congress leaders of backward class since 1977.
4. This period of emergency saw the period of constitutional crisis to loose its origin in constitutional battle over jurisdiction of parliament and judiciary.
5. This period created political crisis also as the party in power enjoyed absolute majority, still decided to suspend the democratic process.
6. The emergency tensed between institution based democracy and democracy based on spontaneous popular participation for which party system was to be blamed.

Q5. Why is emergency and period around it known as the period of constitutional crisis? Explain.
Answer: 1. The Parliament brought in many new changes in constitution which made an amendment declaring that elections of Prime Minister, President and Vice President could not be challenged in the court.
2. The forty second amendment was also passed to bring a series of changes in constitution like duration of legislatures, elections can be postponed by one year during emergency.

Q6. How far do you agree that the government had misused its emergency powers during 1975-77? Explain.
Answer: No, the government hence misused its ‘Emergency Powers’. But it said that it wanted to use the emergency:
1. To bring law and order into society.
2. To restore efficiency into administra¬tion and system.
3. To implement the pro-poor welfare programmes.

Q7. How did emergency of 1975 benefit the Indian democratic set up?
Answer: 1. Between the elections of 1977 and 1980, Congress identified itself with particulars ideology, claiming to be only socialist and pro-poor party.
2. The concept of non-Congressism was created among opposition parties.
3. The issues of welfare of backward class began to dominate politics
i. e. Northern states elected non-
Congress leaders of backward class since 1977.
4. The emergency tensed between institution based democracy and democracy based on spontaneous popular participation for which party system was to be blamed.

Q8. Describe any four circumstances for proclamation of emergency in 1975.
Answer:1. Emergence of Indira Gandhi.
2. Power politics became personalised and governmental authority was converted into personalization.
3. Bitter party competition.
4. Tensed relations between the government and judiciary.

Q9. Discuss the role of Jayaprakash Narayan in Bihar movement and national politics.
Answer: 1. Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan from Janata Party was a Marxist of youth, who became a Gandhian and involved himself in a Bhoodan movement.
2. He led Bihar movement and opposed the emergency.
3. Bihar students invited him and he accepted on the condition of movement to be non-violent and not to limit only to Bihar territory. Hence, Bihar movement assumed a political character and national appeal.
4. This movement demanded dismissal of Congress government in Bihar and called for total revolution in social, economic and political aspects to establish a total democracy.
5. Bandhs, gheraos, strikes were organised in protest. Even employees of railways organised a strike which threatened to paralyse the country.
6. In 1975, Janata Party led people’s march to parliament to be one of the largest political rallies ever held in capital.
7. Janata was supported by non¬Congress parties like BJS, socialist
parties etc., which projected JP as an alternative to Indira Gandhi.

Q10. ‘Emergency was a Blackmark in Indian History’. Comment.
Answer:  1. Emergency was declared on the ground of internal disturbances on 25 June 1975 to invoke Article 352 of constitution.
2. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi recommended to impose emergency to president Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad.
3. Emergency was one of the most controversial episode which possessed different virus regarding to impose emergency.
4. Emergency practically suspended the democratic functioning.
5. ‘Shah Commission’ exposed many excesses committed during emergency.
6. Emergency highlighted some hidden matters over constitutional battle between the parliament and judiciary.
7. Tensions or conflicts had been arisen between institution based democracy and popular participation of people.

Long Answer Type Questions:

Q1. Analyse any three lessons learnt from the emergency of 1975.
Answer: (i) The emergency of 1975 at once brought out both the weaknesses’ and the strengths of India’s democracy. Though there are many observers who think that India ceased to be democratic during the emergency, it is noteworthy that normal democratic functioning resumed within a short span of time. Thus, one lesson of Emergency is that it is extremely difficult to do away with democracy in India.
(ii) It brought out some ambiguities regarding the emergency provision in the constitution that have been rectified since. Now ‘internal’ emergency can be proclaimed only on the grounds of ‘armed rebellion’ and it is necessary that the advice to the President to proclaim emergency must be given in writing by the Council of Ministers.
(iii) The Emergency made everyone aware of the value of civil liberties. The courts, too, have taken an active role after the emergency in protecting the civil liberties of the individuals. This is in response to the inability of the judiciary to protect civil liberties effectively during the emergency. Many civil liberties organizations came up after this experience.

Q2. Examine the three consequences of emergency imposed in 1975.
Answer: (a) Effects on Civil Liberties of Citizens:
1. The government made large scale arrests under preventive detention.
2. Arrested political persons could not challenge arrest even under Habeas Corpus petition.
3. Despite filing many petitions government claimed it not to be necessary to be informed of grounds to arrested persons.
4. In April 1976, finally it was proved that the government could taken away citizen’s right to life and liberty by over ruling of high courts under supreme court and accepted government’s plea.
(b) Impact on Relationship between Parliament and Judiciary:
1. The parliament brought in many new changes in constitution which made an amendment declaring that election of Prime Minister, President and Vice¬president could not be challenged in the court.
2. The forty-second amendment (42nd) was also passed to bring a series of changes in constitution like duration of legislatures, elections can be postponed by one year during an emergency.
(c) Functioning of Mass Media:
1. Press censorship took place
which banned freedom of press is newspapers were supposed to seek prior approval before they publish any material.
2. Protests, strikes and public agitations were also banned.
3. Various fundamental rights were also suspended including even Right to move to Court for Restoration of Fundamental Rights.
4. Kannada writer Shivarama Karnata awarded with Padma Bhushan and Hindi writer Fanishwarnath Renu with Padmashri returned their awards on protest against suspension of democracy.
5. Newspapers mainly Indian Express, and the Statesman protested against censorship by leaving blank editorial column.

Q3. Examine any six reasons for the imposition of emergency in India in 1975. 
Or
Analyse any three reasons for imposing emergency on 25 June 1975. Did the government misuse its emergency powers? Give any three arguments in support of answers.
Answer:  (i) Emergency was proclaimed in response to petition filed by Raj Narayan to declare Indira Gandhi’s election invalid.
(ii) On June 25, 1975, the government declared the threat of internal disturbances to invoke Article 352 of constitution.
(iii) Article 352 can declare emergency on ground of either internal or external disturbances.
(iv) The government decided a grave crisis to be arisen to proclaim emergency to bring law and order, restore efficiency and implement pro-poor Welfare Programmes.
(v) The President FakhruddinAli Ahmad proclaimed emergency which became the most controversial episode in Indian politics.
(vi) Power politics became personalised and governmental authority was converted into personalization

Q4. Assess any three happenings which were responsible for the downfall of Congress Party in the 1977 elections.
Or
‘The 1977 elections for the first time saw the opposition coming to power at the centre’. Examine any six reasons for this change.
Answer: The 1977 elections were evolved as a shock to everyone as Congress Party was defeated for the very first time and opposition party came into power:
1. The opposition adopted the slogan ‘save democracy’ against imposition of emergency earlier.
2. The opposition campaigned non- democratic character of rule which provided various excesses.
3. The opposition party highlighted the preventive detention and press censorship to favour public opinion.
4. Janata Party also ensured not to divide non-Congress votes.
5. Middle section of North India was moving away from Congress for whom Janata Party became a platform.
6. Hence, elections of 1977 emerged many other factors instead about emergency only.

Q5. Explain any three outcomes of Lok Sabha elections of 1977.
Answer: 1. In March 1977 elections, for the first time, Congress lost elections with winning 154 seats only.
2. Janata Party and its allies won 330 seats out of 542 seats.
3. Congress lost from the states of Bihar, U.P., Haryana, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh.
4. Janata Party was formed of coalitions under the leadership of Jayaprakash Narayana.
5. Janata Party called this election as a referendum on emergency.
6. Opposition party realised not to divide the votes to enjoy the power under one umbrella.
7. All these indicated a tough time for Congress ahead.

Q6. What is Naxalite movement? Evaluate its role in Indian politics.
Answer: The Naxalites were the Marxist and Leninist agricultural workers of Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar and adjoining areas which organised massive agilations against economic injustice and inequality and demanded redistribution of land to cultivators.
Role in Indian Politics:
1. Naxalite, did not participate in the elections formally but these were actively associated with parties.
2. Naxalites ensured a better representation of demands of deprived social sections in party politics.
3. These movements retained associations or relations alongwith the political parties either as an individual or as an organisations.