in june 1975, the allahabad high court annulled election of indira gandhi, the then prime minister; she, instead of resigning, imposed the internal emergency and arrested thousands of leaders of opposition parties. although no akali leader had been arrested but the organisation decided to launch an agitation against suppression of civil liberties. in july 1975, all the senior akali leaders courted arrest and harcharnd singh longowal took over the command of the agitation which continued till january 1977. in the 1978 bye election to lok sabha (the lower house), harchand singh was offered the akali nomination for faridkot constituency but he declined the offer. he got balwant singh ramoowalia to contest instead, who was elected from the seat.