The correct option is 1 and 2 only.
Explanation
The 38th, 39th, and 42nd Constitutional Amendments were enacted during the mid-1970s, a period characterized by significant centralization of executive power and attempts to curtail judicial review.
Statement 1 is Correct: The 38th (1975), 39th (1975), and 42nd (1976) Amendments were passed during the period of the Internal Emergency (June 1975 to March 1977). This period allowed the ruling government to pass legislation with limited parliamentary opposition, as many opposition members were detained.
Statement 2 is Correct: These amendments introduced fundamental changes to the Constitution structure:
- The 38th Amendment made the declaration of emergency by the President non-justiciable.
- The 39th Amendment placed the election of the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, and Speaker of the Lok Sabha beyond the scrutiny of the Indian courts.
- The 42nd Amendment, often termed the "Mini-Constitution," attempted to reduce the power of the Supreme Court and High Courts to pronounce upon the constitutional validity of laws, added Fundamental Duties, and altered the Preamble.
Statement 3 is Incorrect: These amendments were not welcomed by the opposition parties. In fact, they were highly controversial and viewed as an assault on democratic principles and the federal structure. Following the end of the Emergency, the Janata Party government (comprising the former opposition) enacted the 43rd and 44th Amendments specifically to nullify the distortions introduced by the 38th, 39th, and 42nd Amendments.
Key Takeaway: The 38th, 39th, and 42nd Amendments were controversial enactments during the 1975-1977 Emergency that sought to establish legislative supremacy and curtail judicial review, leading to their subsequent reversal by the 44th Amendment.