Arrange the following events in sequence.

(A) National Emergency in India

(B) Keshavnanda Bharti Case

(C) Railway Strike by George Fernandes

(D) Appointment of Shah Commission by the Janata Party government

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

(B), (C), (A), (D)

The correct answer is option 4 - (B), (C), (A), (D)

(B) Keshavnanda Bharti Case - 1973
(C) Railway Strike by George Fernandes - May 1974
(A) National Emergency in India - 25 June 1975
(D) Appointment of Shah Commission by the Janata Party government - May 1977

Kesavananda Bharati case is also known for Basic Structure Doctrine of the Supreme Court. The Kesavananda Bharati vs. State of Kerala case, decided by the Supreme Court of India in 1973, is a landmark judgment that laid down the basic structure doctrine of the Indian Constitution. In a short summary, the case involved a challenge to the Kerala government's attempts to implement land reform laws that would affect the properties owned by the petitioner, Kesavananda Bharati, who was the head of a religious institution.

The National Coordination Committee for Railwaymen’s Struggle led by George Fernandes gave a call for a nationwide strike by all employees of the Railways to press their demands related to bonuses and service conditions. The government was opposed to these demands. So, the employees of India’s largest public sector undertaking went on a strike in May 1974. The strike by the Railway employees added to the atmosphere of labour unrest. It also raised issues like the rights of the workers and whether employees of essential services should adopt measures like strikes.

On 25 June 1975, the government declared that there was a threat of internal disturbances and therefore, it invoked Article 352 of the Constitution. Under the provision of this article, the government could declare a state of emergency on grounds of external threat or a threat of internal disturbances. The government decided that a grave crisis had arisen which made the proclamation of a state of emergency necessary.

In May 1977, the Janata Party government appointed a Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice J.C. Shah, retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India, to inquire “into several aspects of allegations of abuse of authority, excesses and malpractices committed and action taken in the wake of the Emergency proclaimed on the 25th June, 1975”. The Commission examined various kinds of evidence and called scores of witnesses to give testimonies. These included Indira Gandhi who appeared before the Commission but refused to answer any questions. The Government of India accepted the findings, observations and recommendations contained in the two interim reports and third and final report of the Shah Commission. The reports were also tabled in the two houses of Parliament.