The major changes that the country witnessed at the time of fourth general election in 1967 are:

I. Two Prime Ministers had died in quick succession and the new Prime Minister, who was being seen as a political novice, had been in office for less than a year.

II. The period was fraught with grave economic crisis resulting from successive failure of monsoons, widespread drought, decline in agricultural production, and serious food shortage.

III. Also, during this time there was depletion foreign exchange reserves, drop in industrial production and exports.

IV. There was a sharp rise in military expenditure and diversion of resources from planning and economic development.

V. Government decided to devaluate the Indian rupee for US Dollars, before a US Dollar could be purchased for less than Rs. 5 but after devaluation it was purchased for more than Rs. 7.

VI. People started protesting against the increase in prices of essential commodities, food scarcity, growing unemployment and overall economic situation in India.

VII. This situation was seen as a situation of law and order rather than an expression of problems of public.