Question map
Who among the following was elected President of India unopposed?
Explanation
Dr. Neelam Sanjiva Reddy is the only President in the history of independent India to have been elected unopposed [t1][t2]. His election in July 1977 was necessitated by the untimely demise of President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed [c1][t7]. Although Reddy had previously contested the 1969 presidential election as the official Congress candidate, he lost to V.V. Giri in a closely fought contest [c4][t1]. However, in 1977, following the Janata Party's rise to power, he was elected without any opposition after the nomination papers of other candidates were rejected [c1][t4]. While Dr. Rajendra Prasad served the longest tenure and Dr. S. Radhakrishnan served as the second President, both faced contests in their respective election cycles [t1][t8]. K.R. Narayanan was the first Dalit President but was also elected through a contested electoral process [t2].
Sources
- [1] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sanjiva-reddy-only-president-elected-unopposed/article3529044.ece
- [2] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > New President of India > p. 705
- [3] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Political Journey after Independence > p. 667