If a National Emergency is in place under Article 352, then the Parliament can extend the term of the Legislative Assemblies for _________ at a time.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
Explanation
The correct answer is option 4 i.e. upto one year
The Parliament can extend the term of the Legislative Assemblies for one year at a time if a National Emergency is in place under Article 352.
Article 352 of the Indian Constitution allows the President to declare a National Emergency based on war, external aggression, or armed rebellion. While such an emergency is operational, the Parliament acquires the power to extend the normal five-year tenure of the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies.
The key fact is that this extension is limited to one year at a time. Furthermore, this extension cannot continue for more than six months after the National Emergency ceases to operate. This provision ensures democratic continuity during a national crisis while preventing the executive from indefinitely postponing elections. The term of the Lok Sabha, for instance, was extended twice by one year each during the 1975-1977 National Emergency.