Question

When was Article 356 used for the first time in India?
A) 1985
B) 1954
C) 1963
D) 1965

Answer 1

Hint: Article 356 of the Constitution confers a power upon the President to be exercised only where he is satisfied that a situation has arisen where the government of a State is not able to function with the provisions given in the Indian Constitution and President has the power to impose president rule in any state of India. It is also known as President rule in a state.

Complete answer: Article 356 was used for the first time in 1954. It has also been used in the state of Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) and then during Vimochana samara to dismiss the democratically elected Communist state government of Kerala on 31 July 1959. In the early years of Indian democracy, this rule was severely misused by the central government to dismiss the state governments which were formed not by the same party members of the central government. The government which was at the centre after independence dismissed the government in East Punjab states union which were not majorly formed by the congress members. In the 1959 elections also when the communist party of India formed the government in Kerala the central government of congress dismissed the government by the fear that it will weaken the congress power in the state. During the making of the constitution, the members of the constitution assembly thought that this act will not be used frequently because it will not be needed. While after independence we saw Article 356 was highly misused by the central government which was not ready to accept the government of other parties at the state level.
In India, the president's rule is the suspension of state government and imposition of direct central government rule in a state. Under Article 356 of the Constitution of India, if a state government is unable to function according to constitutional provisions, the Central government can take direct control of the state machinery. This article reflects the constitutional power of the President of India.
Let’s examine the options one by one :
A) President rule was not imposed in 1985. This was the period after the assassination of Indira Gandhi.
B) President rule was imposed for the first time in 1954 in the Punjab region. This was imposed by the president on the state.
C) President rule was not imposed in 1963 in any of the states. So this option is not correct.
D) President rule was not imposed in the year 1965 in any of the Indian states. So this option is not correct.
So, option B is correct. The President rule was imposed for the first time in 1954.

Note: The president rule which is given in article 356 is a provision of emergency which is different from the article 352 and 360 which were provisions of internal emergency and financial emergency. So do not get confused between these three articles of emergency.