The Black Night of Emergency-How Indira Gandhi Slammed the Brakes on Democracy!

National News: When Indira Chose Power Over Pressure: Inside the 48 Hours Before Emergency Following the June 12, 1975 judgment by the Allahabad High Court declaring Indira Gandhi’s Lok Sabha election from Rae Bareli invalid due to electoral malpractices, political tremors swept the country. As opposition demanded her resignation, Indira stood her ground. On June 23, the Supreme Court began hearing her appeal. A day later, Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer granted a conditional stay — allowing her to remain Prime Minister but barring her from voting in Parliament until the final verdict.

Calls to Quit, Indira Says No

According to historian Ramachandra Guha in India After Gandhi, senior Congress leaders began suggesting that Indira should step down temporarily to preserve party credibility. They proposed that a neutral figure like Swaran Singh could act as PM until the court cleared her name. However, Sanjay Gandhi and West Bengal CM Siddhartha Shankar Ray opposed the idea. By the night of June 24, Indira had made up her mind — she would not resign.

Ray Behind Emergency?

Ray arrived in Delhi to counsel Indira and reportedly laid out the legal and political blueprint for the Emergency. The two discussed suspending fundamental rights, arresting opposition leaders, and censoring the press. Some accounts describe Ray as the “mastermind” behind the Emergency, though others argue that the decision ultimately rested with Indira herself.

 Blueprint for Control in Motion

In preparation, Indira’s office requested a copy of the Constitution from the Parliament Library. A detailed draft was readied, outlining the suspension of civil liberties and the expansion of central powers. Trusted officials compiled arrest lists and planned information blackouts. By June 25, the machinery was set in motion.

Kuldip Nayar Claims Emergency Was Pre-Planned

Veteran journalist Kuldip Nayar, in his autobiography Beyond the Lines, claimed that Indira had already made up her mind by June 22. He writes that she discussed Emergency with close aides early on June 25. Whether influenced by legal setbacks or political insecurity, her decision was firm: there would be no stepping down.

 Presidential Signature, Then Darkness

At 5 PM on June 25, Indira met President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed. Siddhartha Ray had already drafted the ordinance. Just before midnight, the President signed it. Power supply to newspaper presses in Delhi was cut, ensuring minimal media coverage on June 26. By the time the nation woke up, democracy was already suspended.