Internal Security•Ministry of Home Affairs•1971 → 1977

Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA)

Status: Repealed

Category: Security & Civil Liberties

Successor: National Security Act (NSA), 1980 (Later)

Executive Inquest Summary

“Repealed by the Janata Party government in 1977 following mass civil liberties outrage.”

1. Original Objective & Statutory Design

Instituted in 1971 by the Ministry of Home Affairs to govern internal security. Aimed at addressing core governance challenges and structural priorities of its era.

2. Implementation Architecture & Frontline Delivery

Administered under Ministry of Home Affairs through federal coordination, state-level departments, and executive oversight mechanisms.

3. Rationale for Action, Repeal or Replacement

Grossly misused during the 1975–1977 Emergency to indefinitely jail political opposition, journalists, and trade unionists without trial.

Subsequent Legal or Administrative Framework:

National Security Act (NSA), 1980 (Later)

4. Empirical Evidence & Official Documentation

Official parliamentary records, ministry gazette notifications, and statutory review committee assessments concerning Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA).

Institutional Memory & Enduring Lessons

What Should Be Retained, Redesigned, or Revived?

Status: Repealed. Replacement: National Security Act (NSA), 1980 (Later). Demonstrates the systemic lifecycle of public policy in India—highlighting how changes in state capacity, federal dynamics, and technological capability render legacy frameworks obsolete or require complete legislative overhaul.

Verified Administrative & Evaluation Sources

Official Gazette of India, Ministry of Home Affairs
Parliamentary Standing Committee Reports (1977)
Law Commission of India & Ministry Transition Notes