What are the Emergency Powers of the President of India?

What are the Emergency Powers of the President of India?

During the times of emergency in the Indian Union the President is vested with special powers and he also becomes the real head of the country.

The President of India has the power to declare three types of emergency. They are National Emergency, State Emergency and Financial Emergency.

According to Article 352 If the President believes that there is a threat to the security of India or to the security of a part of India, he has the power to declare National Emergency. But the President cannot declare National Emergency without the written advice of the Union Cabinet to avoid mis use of power.

Under Article 356 the President can declare ’ State Emergency’ or President’s Rule either on the basis of a report of the Governor or otherwise that the constitutional machinery of that state has failed. During state Emergency, the President of India assumes all executive power of the state to himself. The state administration is run directly by him or through a person designated for the purpose by him. It is the Governor of state who runs the state administration on behalf of the President.

Under Article 360, the President of India can proclaim Financial Emergency if he is satisfied that the financial stability or the credit of India or of any part of its territory is threatened.

The National Emergency and Financial Emergency have no time limit. They can continue to be extended without any limit. But the State Emergency has a time-limit. It cannot go beyond three years.