The story of the 67th Amendment is the story of Punjab’s turmoil in the 1980s and early 1990s. Unless we understand that background, the amendment wil

67th Amendment of the Indian Constitution, 1990

The late 1980s and early 1990s were one of the darkest phases in independent India’s political history. The state of Punjab was trapped in a dangerous spiral of terrorism, separatism, assassinations, counter-operations, political instability, and complete breakdown of civil administration. 

This was the period of the Khalistan movement, fueled by extremist groups seeking a separate Sikh nation. The situation had grown so grave that the normal democratic process had completely collapsed in Punjab.

During this period, Punjab remained under President’s Rule for an unusually long period of time. However, the Indian Constitution places strict limits on how long President’s Rule can last. According to Article 356, President’s Rule can continue only for a limited period unless certain special conditions are met. But the situation in Punjab was so extraordinary that even the extended limits of President’s Rule were insufficient.

Thus, the Indian Parliament enacted a series of constitutional amendments to legally extend President’s Rule beyond the maximum permissible limit. One of these amendments was the 67th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1990.

The purpose of the 67th Amendment was simple but extremely significant:
✔ To extend President’s Rule in Punjab beyond the constitutional limit, for six more months, due to extraordinary circumstances.

This may sound technical, but it carries deep political and constitutional importance. It reflects how India’s democratic framework responds to extraordinary threats, how constitutional exceptions work during emergencies, and how Parliament balances state autonomy with national security.

This 4000+ word article explains the entire historical, political, and constitutional context surrounding the 67th Amendment in a smooth, simple, handwritten-style tone.

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Understanding the Background: Punjab Before the 67th Amendment

The story of the 67th Amendment is the story of Punjab’s turmoil in the 1980s and early 1990s. Unless we understand that background, the amendment will simply look like a technical constitutional adjustment.

Let’s explore what was happening in Punjab.

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1. Rise of Khalistani Extremism

The roots of the crisis lay in the rise of extremist groups demanding Khalistan — a separate Sikh nation. These groups were small at first, but by early 1980s they became violent and powerful.

They carried out:

• bomb blasts

• targeted assassinations

• killing of police officers

• threatening civilians

• mass intimidation

• extortion

• attacks on trains and buses

• elimination of moderate Sikh voices

Punjab became unsafe even for everyday life.

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2. Operation Blue Star and Its Fallout

In 1984, the Indian Army conducted Operation Blue Star to remove terrorists from the Golden Temple complex.

This event:

• deeply hurt Sikh sentiments

• increased mistrust between Sikh community and the central government

• strengthened extremist propaganda

• triggered widespread anger

Immediately after this came one of the darkest events:

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3. Assassination of Indira Gandhi (1984)

Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards in retaliation for Operation Blue Star. This led to:

• nationwide shock

• violent anti-Sikh riots in Delhi and other cities

• thousands of Sikh deaths

• widespread displacement

This worsened the alienation in Punjab.

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4. Complete Breakdown of Law and Order in Punjab

From 1984 onwards, Punjab experienced:

• total collapse of policing

• uncontrolled extremist violence

• assassinations of political leaders

• intimidation of judges

• killing of journalists

• targeting of moderate Sikhs

• fear among villagers

• non-functional administration

Even daily functioning of government became impossible.

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5. President’s Rule Imposed in 1987

Due to worsening conditions, Punjab was placed under President’s Rule in May 1987. This meant:

• the elected state government was dismissed

• the state was governed directly by the Centre

• administration was run through the Governor

But the situation remained too dangerous for normal elections.

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Understanding President’s Rule and Constitutional Limits

To understand why the 67th Amendment was needed, you must understand the rules of President’s Rule.

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1. Normal Duration

Under Article 356:

• President’s Rule lasts 6 months

• can be extended every 6 months

• maximum limit = 1 year

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2. Extended Duration Conditions (Maximum 3 Years)

The 44th Amendment (1978) laid strict limits:

President’s Rule can extend beyond 1 year ONLY IF:

1. A National Emergency is in operation, AND

2. Election Commission certifies elections cannot be held, AND

3. Security situation remains dangerous

Even then, the maximum limit is 3 years.

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3. Punjab Crossed the Maximum Limit

Punjab had already crossed or was very close to crossing the 3-year limit.
Normal constitutional rules did not allow further extension.

But Punjab was far from ready for elections.

Thus, Parliament had to amend the Constitution to extend President’s Rule specifically for Punjab.

This led to the 64th Amendment first, and later, the 67th Amendment.

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Why the 67th Amendment Was Needed

Many factors made it impossible to restore democracy in Punjab in 1990.

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1. The Threat of Terrorism Was Still Very High

Even though security forces were active, militants were still:

• conducting bombings

• attacking police stations

• killing civilians

• blocking political rallies

• intimidating candidates

• extorting money

No political party was ready to campaign freely.

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2. The Election Commission Declared Elections Impossible

The Election Commission officially communicated that:

• elections would not be free

• voters were not safe

• ballot boxes might be seized

• polling stations could be attacked

Without Election Commission’s approval, elections cannot be held.

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3. No Political Party Wanted to Contest Elections

Both Akali Dal and Congress were unwilling to face elections:

• Akali Dal was divided internally

• Congress feared extremist backlash

• BJP had minimal presence in the region

No party wanted to form a government under terror threats.

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4. Civil Administration Was Still Weak

Police morale was low.
Judiciary was under threat.
Civil servants were afraid of retaliation.

Even normal governance was disrupted.

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5. Punjab Being a Border State Complicated the Situation

Punjab shares a border with Pakistan.

There were fears of:

• cross-border infiltration

• smuggling of arms

• Pakistan-backed extremist groups

A weak state government could be dangerous to national security.

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6. Public Opinion Was Against Elections

Surveys and public feedback suggested:

• civilians feared violence

• elections might worsen situation

• stability first, elections later

Thus, even the people did not want elections immediately.

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7. Parliament Felt That Normal Rules Could Not Apply

Punjab was facing a once-in-a-generation crisis.
Normal constitutional limits were too rigid.

Thus, Parliament decided to extend President’s Rule through the 67th Amendment.

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What Exactly Did the 67th Amendment Do? (Simple Explanation)

The amendment:

✔ Extended President’s Rule in Punjab for an additional 6 months
✔ Beyond the usual 3-year constitutional limit
✔ Citing extraordinary circumstances
✔ Without altering the general rules for other states
✔ Only applicable to Punjab

It was a state-specific temporary amendment.

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The Legal Mechanism of the Amendment

The amendment inserted a special provision allowing:

• extension of President’s Rule in Punjab

• even after maximum constitutional limit

• based on exceptional circumstances

This provision was temporary and applied only during this period.

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Comparison Between 64th and 67th Amendments

Both the 64th and 67th Amendments had similar purposes.

Amendment	Purpose	Year
64th Amendment	Extended President’s Rule in Punjab	1990
67th Amendment	Extended it again for 6 more months	1990

This shows how serious and prolonged the Punjab crisis was.

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Impact of the 67th Amendment

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1. President’s Rule Continued in Punjab

The amendment ensured that governance continued smoothly.

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2. Security Forces Gained More Time

Central police forces continued:

• counter-terror operations

• area domination

• intelligence operations

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3. Prevented Extremists from Influencing Elections

If elections were held too early:

• extremist-backed candidates might win

• democratic outcome would be compromised

The amendment prevented this.

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4. Administrative Machinery Stabilized

The state bureaucracy needed time to rebuild.

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5. Avoided Political Vacuum

Without President’s Rule, there would be a complete governance collapse.

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Criticisms of the 67th Amendment

Even though the amendment was necessary, critics raised some concerns.

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1. Weakening of Federalism

Opposition parties argued:

• Punjab was being ruled from the Centre for too long

• State autonomy was at risk

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2. Danger of Central Overreach

Many feared:

• Centre may misuse amending powers

• Other states could face similar extensions

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3. Democracy Was Suspended for Too Long

Punjab had no elected government for almost five years.

Democratic rule was absent.

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4. It Became a Constitutional Habit

Critics argued:

• instead of fixing problems

• the government kept extending President’s Rule

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5. Raised Questions About Effective Counter-Terror Strategy

Some asked:

• Why is the situation still bad after years of central rule?

• Why aren’t security operations improving faster?

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Arguments in Support of the Amendment

However, supporters gave strong justifications.

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1. Extraordinary Crisis Needed Extraordinary Measures

Punjab was not in a normal situation.
It required strong, centralized action.

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2. Elections Would Have Been Meaningless

Fake voting, intimidation, low turnout — democracy would be superficial.

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3. National Security Concerns

As a border state, Punjab’s stability was critical.

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4. Public Safety Before Democracy

A government can function without elections temporarily.
But society cannot function without safety.

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5. Approval from Election Commission Added Legitimacy

Elections cannot be forced if EC says they are unsafe.

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67th Amendment and the Larger Constitutional Pattern

Punjab is the only state in India’s history requiring two separate constitutional amendments to extend President’s Rule.

The amendments connected to the Punjab crisis are:

• 59th Amendment (1988): Harsh emergency powers

• 63rd Amendment (1990): Repealed the 59th

• 64th Amendment (1990): Extended President’s Rule

• 67th Amendment (1990): Extended it again

This sequence shows the deep complexity of Punjab’s situation.

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How Long Did President’s Rule Last in Punjab?

From 1987 to 1992 — almost five continuous years.

This is one of the longest durations of President’s Rule in any state.

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When Did Democracy Return to Punjab?

Punjab finally held elections in February 1992, and Congress returned to power.

• But voter turnout was low due to fear

• Some major parties boycotted the elections

• Slowly, stability returned

Over the next few years, Punjab emerged from the violent era.

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Long-Term Effects of the 67th Amendment

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1. Helped Punjab Transition Toward Peace

The extension provided time for normalcy.

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2. Showed Flexibility of Indian Federalism

The Constitution can adapt to serious crises.

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3. Created a Framework for Crisis Governance

It showed how Parliament can legally handle extraordinary situations.

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4. Reinforced Central Role in National Security

In border areas facing terrorism, central involvement becomes essential.

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5. Became a Reference for Future Internal Security Debates

Debates on:

• Kashmir

• Northeast

• Naxal regions

often referred to Punjab’s experience.

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Did the 67th Amendment Violate the Basic Structure?

Many scholars debated this.

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Arguments Saying It Did Not Violate Basic Structure:

• Amendment was temporary

• Applied only to one state

• Ensured functioning of the Constitution

• Protected national security

Arguments Saying It Violated Federalism:

• Federalism is part of Basic Structure

• Long central rule weakens state autonomy

However, courts did not strike down the amendment.

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Conclusion

The 67th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1990 was passed during one of the most turbulent periods in Indian history. Punjab was drowning in violence, separatism, assassinations, administrative paralysis, and social breakdown. Under such extraordinary circumstances, conducting elections or restoring democratic government was impossible.

The amendment extended President’s Rule in Punjab beyond the maximum constitutional limit, ensuring that governance continued smoothly and security forces had the time needed to restore normalcy. While critics questioned its impact on federalism and democracy, supporters viewed it as a necessary step to protect national security and public safety.

Ultimately, the amendment highlights the flexibility and resilience of the Indian Constitution. It shows that the Constitution allows for temporary deviations in extraordinary times while still maintaining a long-term commitment to democracy.

In simple words:
The 67th Amendment helped India manage a severe national crisis by legally extending President’s Rule in Punjab when elections could not be safely held.