Class 12 Political Science Chapter 15 Crisis of the Constitutional System
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Selected Questions-Answers
1. Very Short Questions: (Marks for each: 1)
(a) Who led the student movements in Gujarat and Bihar?
Ans: Jayaprakash Narayan.
(b) When did the Janata Government come to power?
Ans: In 1977.
(c) Mention any one point included in the Twenty-Point Programmeinitiated by Indira Gandhi.
Ans: Removal of poverty.
(d) During which government was the Mandal Commission appointed?
Ans: The Janata Party government.
(e) Jayaprakash Narayan belonged to which state?
Ans: Bihar.
(f) Who was the founder of the Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist)?
Ans: Charu Majumdar.
(g) When was Emergency declared for the first time in India? H.S.’18
Ans: In 1975.
Note: The first National Emergency in India was declared in 1962 duringthe Sino-Indian War. The 1975 Emergency was the first declared on the groundof internal disturbance.
(h) Who headed the Shah Commission?
Ans: J. C. Shah.
(i) Write one feature of a ‘committed bureaucracy’.
Ans: Loyalty to government ideology.
(j) Who propounded the concept of ‘committed bureaucracy andjudiciary’ in India?
Ans: Indira Gandhi.
(k) What was the name of the President of India who declared the Emergency in 1975?
Ans: Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed.
(l) Who was regarded as the symbol of the restoration of democracy?
Ans: Jayaprakash Narayan.
(m) Who was Charu Majumdar?
Ans: Charu Majumdar was a prominent communist leader, revolutionary, and one of the founders of the Naxalite movement.
Note: He was specifically a key leader of the Communist Party of India(Marxist–Leninist) and an ideologue of the Naxalite movement.
(n) Who was the Congress leader for democracy?
Ans: Jagjivan Ram.
(o) In which region of India was the Marxist–Leninist group strong?
Ans: In West Bengal.
(p) Who led the railway strike of 1974?
Ans: George Fernandes.
(q) When was the Shah Commission appointed?
Ans: In 1977.
Note: The Shah Commission was appointed in 1977 to inquire into theexcesses committed during the Emergency (1975–77).
(r) Who gave the slogan ‘Indira is India, India is Indira’?
Ans: Devakanta Barua.
(s) Who called for ‘Total Revolution’?
Ans: Jayaprakash Narayan.
(t) When was the Grand Alliance (Mahamorcha) formed?
Ans: In 1971.
(u) When was the Janata Party formed?
Ans: In 1977.
(v) Who was the first President of the Janata Party? H.S. ’16Ans: Jayaprakash Narayan.
Note: Jayaprakash Narayan was the moral leader of the movement; thefirst President of the Janata Party was actually Chandra Shekhar.
(w) Write one recommendation of the Mandal Commission. H.S.’15
Ans: Reservation of 27% of government jobs and seats in educational institutions for Other Backward Classes.
2. Short Questions: (Marks for each: 2)
(a) Who introduced the Twenty-Point Programme and why? H.S.’17
Ans: Indira Gandhi introduced the Twenty-Point Programme in 1975 forthe welfare of the poor.
(b) Write two reasons for the Congress victory in the southern states.
Ans: Two reasons for the victory of the Cogress Party in the southernstates were-
(1) The impact of the Emergency declared in 1975 was less severe in thesouthern states.
(2) The political parties in the southern states were not united against theCongress.
(c) What is meant by ‘Press Censorship’?
Ans: Press censorship refers to restrictions or prohibitions imposed bythe government on the media regarding the publication of news. During suchrestrictions, prior approval from the government is required before publishing any news.
(d) What is meant by ‘Preventive Detention’?
Ans: Preventive detention means detaining or imprisoning a person onthe basis of suspicion or anticipation of committing an offence, especiallyduring an Emergency or undesirable situation.
(e) What is meant by ‘Committed Bureaucracy’?
Ans: A committed bureaucracy refers to a system in which civil servantsare not only loyal to the constitutional ideals and principles but also showcommitment to the ideology of the ruling political party.
(f) Write two reasons why mid-term elections were held in 1980. H.S. ’18
Ans: Two reasons for the mid-term elections held in 1980 were-
(1) The fall of the Janata Government.
(2) Withdrawal of Congress support from the government of ChaudharyCharan Singh.
3. Medium-Length Questions: (Marks for each: 4)
(a) What were the consequences of the Emergency declared in 1975?Ans: The consequences of the Emergency declared in 1975 were:
(1) Suspension of Fundamental Rights.
(2) Restrictions on the freedom of the press.
(3) Enactment and use of preventive detention laws.
(4) Arrest and imprisonment of opposition leaders.
(5) Centralization of federal structure towards a unitary form.
(6) Prohibition of strikes and protests.
(b) Why did Indira Gandhi take the initiative to impose the Emergency in 1975? H.S. ’16, ’18, ’20
Ans: In 1975, Indira Gandhi took the initiative to impose the Emergencyfor the following reasons:
(1) War with Pakistan, decline in food grain production, and rise in oil prices.
(2) Student movement in Bihar, Nav Nirman movement in Gujarat, anddefeat of the Congress in state assembly elections.
(3) The judgment of the Allahabad High Court declaring Indira Gandhi’s1971 Lok Sabha election invalid.
(c) What is meant by Emergency? Write any one effect of the Emergency declared on the ground of internal disturbance.
Ans: Articles 352 to 360 of the Indian Constitution deal with Emergencyprovisions. Constitutionally, there are three types of Emergency: National Emergency, Emergency due to failure of constitutional machinery in states, and Financial Emergency. In 1975, Emergency was declared on the ground of internal disturbance. As a result, the Fundamental Rights of citizens were suspended.
(d) Briefly write about the conflict between the Executive and theJudiciary during Indira Gandhi’s tenure as Prime Minister. H.S. ’15, ’18
Ans: The 1967 election created tensions between the Judiciary and theExecutive on various issues. The Congress did not accept several judicial decisions. It argued that the Judiciary was a conservative institution and wasobstructing the pro-poor welfare programmes of the Congress. To control what was perceived as authoritarian tendencies, several constitutional issues were raised in the courts. On matters such as the abolition ofFundamental Rights and curtailment of the right to property, the Judiciaryadopted positions adverse to the government. This led to conflict betweenthe Judiciary and Parliament. Indira Gandhi, displeased with this situation, appointed A. N. Ray as Chief Justice of India superseding three senior judgesof the Supreme Court. This created further controversy. Such conflicts weakened the position of the Congress as a political party, which ultimately led toits severe defeat in the 1977 election.
4. Essay-Type Questions: (Marks for each: 6)
(a) Discuss the results of the 1977 Lok Sabha Election. H.S. ’15
Ans: The 1977 Lok Sabha Election was highly significant in various respects in Indian politics. Its important results are discussed below:
(1) End of Congress dominance: The 1977 election brought a temporaryend to the dominance of the Congress Party. For the first time, the Congresswas defeated in the Lok Sabha election. While the Congress secured all seats in four southern states and performed well in Maharashtra, Gujarat, andOdisha, it was severely defeated in North India where the impact of the Emergency was intense.
(2) Formation of coalition government at the Centre: After the 1977 election, for the first time a non-Congress coalition government was formed at the Centre. Several political parties joined the Janata Party to form this government. This coalition tradition continues in Indian politics.
(3) Issue of reservation for Other Backward Classes: After the 1977 election, the issue of reservation for Other Backward Classes became highly controversial, especially in Bihar. The Janata Government appointed the Mandal Commission to address this issue.
(b) Discuss the lessons learned from the Emergency of 1975–77. H.S. ’14, ’16, ’18, ’20
Ans: The Indian political system learned several lessons from the Emergency of 1975–77:
(1) The Emergency exposed both the weaknesses and strengths of Indian democracy. Although democracy was said to have died, democratic processeswere soon restored. It proved that even in times of crisis, Indian democracycannot be permanently destroyed.
(2) It highlighted that the bureaucracy and judiciary must remain independent. Instead of being committed to the ideology of the ruling party, thebureaucracy should remain committed to the Constitution.
(3) The government must always function according to constitutional provisions. The Constitution is supreme, and the Judiciary must safeguard thissupremacy.
(4) After the Emergency, ambiguities relating to Emergency provisionswere clarified. The Council of Ministers must give written advice to the President before proclamation of Emergency.
(5) The Emergency made people aware of the value of liberty. After it ended, citizens became more active in protecting civil liberties.
(6) It demonstrated that the press should not be suppressed in a democratic system. Freedom of the press is essential for the successful functioningof democracy.
(c) What initiatives were taken by the Janata Government in 1977? H.S. ’17, ’19
Ans: After coming to power in 1977, the Janata Government undertookthe following initiatives:
(1) Through the 44th Constitutional Amendment Act, it removed most ofthe controversial provisions of the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act enacted during the Emergency.
(2) The right to property was removed from the list of Fundamental Rights and made a legal right.
(3) The tenure of the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies wasreduced from six years back to five years.
(4) The status of the President was enhanced by granting the power toreturn the advice of the Council of Ministers for reconsideration.
(5) The powers and status of the High Courts and the Supreme Court wererestored.
(6) Fundamental Rights were given precedence over Directive Principles.
(7) Harsh and controversial laws enacted during the Emergency were repealed.
(d) In 1977, for the first time an opposition party formed the government at the Centre through the election. What do you think werethe reasons?
Ans: In the 1977 General Election, the Congress Party suffered a humiliating defeat and the Janata Party formed the government. The reasons were:
(1) Since Independence, Congress had enjoyed continuous dominance inIndian politics, which made it authoritarian in nature. People became dissatisfied and turned against it.
(2) In 1975, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared Emergency, makingthe administration undemocratic. Fundamental Rights were curtailed, and opposition leaders and activists were arbitrarily arrested and detained. This ledopposition parties to unite and emerge stronger.
(3) Indira Gandhi governed in an authoritarian manner, creating fear amongpeople and leaders.
(4) During the Emergency, the press was suppressed in various ways, preventing the formation of public opinion. As a reaction, anti-government forcesbecame stronger. For these reasons, the Congress suffered a severe defeat inthe 1977 election and the Janata Party formed the government.
