Article 356 in Part XIII of the constitution provides for the proclamation of Emergency by the President in any state where there is a breakdown of constitutional machinery either based on the report of the Governor or even otherwise.
The Article emphasizes the supremacy of the constitution and national unity and integrity.
The state governments ruled by the opposition parties of the ruling party at the centre have complained against the frequent and improper use of this article by the ruling party or coalition at the centre.
More than a hundred times the Article has been used to impose emergency in states and in many instances there was a huge complaint that political and party considerations have led to the imposition of the President’s Rule.
Many regional parties have demanded the abolition of this Article.
However, since the Supreme Court’s judgment in S.R.Bommai vs Union of India case, the chances for misuse of Article 356 drastically reduced.