Class 12 Political Science Chapter 6 – The Crisis of Democratic Order NCERT Solutions

Exercise Questions and Answers

1. State whether the following statements regarding the Emergency are correct or incorrect.
   
   • (a) It was declared in 1975 by Indira Gandhi.
   • (b) It led to the suspension of all fundamental rights.
   • (c) It was proclaimed due to the deteriorating economic conditions.
   • (d) Many Opposition leaders were arrested during the emergency.
   • (e) CPI supported the proclamation of the Emergency.
   Answer:
   (a) Correct.
   (b) Correct.
   (c) Incorrect.
   (d) Correct.
   (e) Correct.
2. Find the odd one out in the context of proclamation of Emergency
   • (a) The call for ‘Total Revolution.'
   • (b) The Railway Strike of 1974
   • (c) The Naxalite Movement
   • (d) The Allahabad High Court verdict
   • (e) The findings of the Shah Commission Report
   Answer: (e) The findings of the Shah Commission Report.
   Explanation: The findings of the Shah Commission Report came after the Emergency period, not as a cause or contributor to the imposition of Emergency.
3. Match the following
   

   Items	Answer
   (a) Total Revolution	ii. Jayaprakash Narayan
   (b) Garibi hatao	i. Indira Gandhi
   (c) Students’ Protest	iii. Bihar Movement
   (d) Railway Strike	iv. George Fernandes

4. What were the reasons which led to the mid-term elections in 1980?
   Answer: The Janata Party government, which came to power after the 1977 elections, was unstable and suffered internal conflicts. It lacked direction and experienced leadership struggles. The government headed by Morarji Desai lost its majority in less than 28 months, followed by another short-lived government under Charan Singh. Due to these instabilities and loss of majority, the Lok Sabha was dissolved and mid-term elections were called in 1980.
5. The Shah Commission was appointed in 1977 by the Janata Party Government. Why was it appointed and what were its findings?
   Answer: The Shah Commission was appointed to investigate the excesses and abuses committed during the Emergency (1975-77). It found widespread misuse of power, arbitrary arrests, curtailment of civil liberties, press censorship, and the turning of the police and administration into instruments of the ruling party, making them vulnerable to political pressures.
6. What reasons did the Government give for declaring a National Emergency in 1975?
   Answer: The Government cited a threat of “internal disturbances” as the reason for declaring a National Emergency under Article 352 of the Constitution. The judgement of the Allahabad High Court against the Prime Minister and large-scale political unrest were considered grave crises justifying suspension of normal democratic process.
7. The 1977 elections for the first time saw the Opposition coming into power at the Centre. What would you consider as the reasons for this development?
   Answer: People were dissatisfied with the authoritarian excesses and curtailment of civil liberties during the Emergency. The opposition parties united under the Janata Party, making the election an effective referendum on the Emergency and the Congress regime. Public opinion strongly favoured the restoration of democracy, leading to the Congress’s defeat.
8. 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.
   • Effects on civil liberties for citizens: Fundamental rights were suspended and preventive detention widely used, leading to thousands of arrests without trial. The right to legal remedy was also suspended.
   • Impact on relationship between the Executive and Judiciary: The Supreme Court upheld the suspension of fundamental rights, which made the Judiciary subservient to the Executive. Judiciary’s effectiveness in protecting rights was diminished.
   • Functioning of Mass Media: There was strict censorship, with the press needing prior approval for publication. Many newspapers protested with blank editorials, but many closed or faced restrictions.
   • Working of the Police and Bureaucracy: Both became political instruments of the ruling party, functioning under political pressures and lacking independent accountability as per the Shah Commission Report.
9. In what way did the imposition of Emergency affect the party system in India? Elaborate your answer with examples.
   Answer: The Emergency led to the unification of opposition parties into the Janata Party, promoting a two-front system in the 1977 elections. It marked the decline of the Congress’s umbrella-party dominance, leading to the rise of non-Congressism and an emphasis on alliances among opposition parties. The political mobilisation among different castes and groups, especially backward castes, gained momentum post-Emergency.
10. Read the passage and answer the questions below:

    Indian democracy was never so close to a two-party system as it was during the 1977 elections. However, the next few years saw a complete change. Soon after its defeat, the Indian National Congress split into two groups........... ... ... ...The Janata Party also went through major convulsions.....David Butler, Ashok Lahiri and Prannoy Roy. — Partha Chatterjee

    1. What made the party system in India look like a two-party system in 1977?
    2. Many more than two parties existed in 1977. Why then are the authors describing this period as close to a two-party system?
    3. What caused splits in Congress and the Janata parties?
    Answer:
    (a) The party system appeared like a two-party system because the Congress and the newly-formed Janata Party were the main contenders, and most opposition parties had united as Janata.
    (b) Though multiple parties existed, the broad division was between Congress and non-Congress (Janata), so the electoral battle resembled a two-party competition.
    (c) Factionalism, lack of common ideology, leadership struggles, and ambitions within both Congress and Janata Party caused their splits after 1977.

NCERTSolutions Class 12 Political Science Chapter 6 The Crisis Of Democratic Order – Key Highlights for 2025-26

Deepen your understanding of The Crisis of Democratic Order with NCERT solutions 2025-26. This chapter explores how the Emergency period transformed Indian political dynamics and provides clear answers to textbook exercises for thorough preparation.

Master the concepts of party systems, civil liberties, and constitutional challenges with practical solutions. Regular revision of these NCERT-based answers will sharpen your analytical skills and help you score confidently in board exams.

Strengthen your exam performance by focusing on the critical lessons from the Emergency period in India. Consistently practicing these exercise-based solutions improves answer-writing and makes complex topics easy to remember for CBSE and competitive exams.