Plea by 94-Year-Old Lady Seeking to Declare 1975 Emergency Illegal

After a time span of more than four-and-half decades of emergency, proclaimed by the Government of India,  A 94-year-old lady ‘Vera Sarin’ approached the Supreme Court with a writ petition asking the court to declare 1975 emergency as unconstitutional. She has also sought a Rs 25 crore compensation for “illegal” attachment of family properties and seizure of valuables by the authorities during that period.  

Emergency imposed was in violation of constitutional principles: Says the petitioner 

The petition submitted before the court states that the proclamation of emergency was unjustified. it was imposed in violation of constitutional principles. the Counsel for the petitioner Neela Gokhale said that the Petitioner and her husband suffered a lot because they were targeted during the period. They were forced to shift abroad because of the impending fear of being thrown behind bars during the period of emergency., Further, it was stated that Petitioner's late husband and family were charged under Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974  and Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act, 1976 which were operational until 2018, when the court decided in her favour.  

Petitioner seeks compensation of 25 crore

The petitioner seeks compensation of Rs 25 crore from the government and gave a list of gems, artefacts, statutes, tusks, and other items which were seized by the authorities from her husband’s shops in Karol Bagh and KG Marg in Delhi during the Emergency period.