Congress leader Sonia Gandhi stated that democratic rights were curtailed during the 1975 Emergency constitutionally as Indira Gandhi struggled with widespread organised unrest.
Sonia Gandhi noted that Indira Gandhi later publicly expressed regret and apologised for excesses before calling the March 1977 election.
The Emergency was imposed on June 25, 1975, by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed at Indira Gandhi's behest, concluding on March 21, 1977.