Who was the only President of India to be elected unopposed?
- A.Shri R. Venkataraman
- B.Shri Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
- C.Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma
- D.Shri K. R. Narayanan
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is B, Shri Neelam Sanjiva Reddy. In 1977 every other nomination was rejected and he was declared elected unopposed, the only President of India chosen in that manner. He is also the only President who had earlier been Speaker of the Lok Sabha, and he had been the first Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Option A is wrong because Shri R. Venkataraman won a contested election in 1987, after serving as Vice-President from 1984. Option C is wrong because Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma was elected in a contest in 1992, also after a term as Vice-President. Option D is wrong because Shri K. R. Narayanan faced a contest in 1997, when he became the first Dalit to hold the office, having been Vice-President from 1992.
Read the full article: Presidents and Vice-Presidents of India: Complete List
Practice Questions
View allWho was the first President of India?
- A.Dr. S. Radhakrishnan
- B.Dr. Rajendra Prasad
- C.Dr. Zakir Husain
- D.Shri V. V. Giri
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He was sworn in on 26 January 1950, the day the Constitution came into force, and held the office until 13 May 1962.
Read the full explanation →Who was the first Vice-President of India?
- A.Dr. Zakir Husain
- B.Shri Gopal Swarup Pathak
- C.Dr. S. Radhakrishnan
- D.Dr. Rajendra Prasad
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He held the office of Vice-President from 13 May 1952 to 12 May 1962, two full terms, and then served as the second President of India from 1962 to 1967.
Read the full explanation →Which President of India was the first to die while in office?
- A.Dr. Zakir Husain
- B.Shri Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed
- C.Shri Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
- D.Giani Zail Singh
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He took office in May 1967 and died on 3 May 1969, which gave him the shortest tenure of any President of India and made him the first to die in office.
Read the full explanation →Who was the first person to discharge the functions of the President of India as acting President?
- A.Justice M. Hidayatullah
- B.Shri V. V. Giri
- C.Shri B. D. Jatti
- D.Shri Gopal Swarup Pathak
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When Dr. Zakir Husain died on 3 May 1969, Shri V. V. Giri was the Vice-President, and under Article 65 the Vice-President discharges the functions of the President during such a vacancy.
Read the full explanation →Which article of the Constitution of India provides for the election of the President?
- A.Article 52
- B.Article 54
- C.Article 61
- D.Article 63
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Article 54 says the President shall be elected by an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States, the Assemblies of Delhi and Puducherry having been added by the Seventieth Amendment.
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