Presidents of India: Complete List & Tenure

India has had 16 Presidents since independence in 1947. The President of India is the constitutional head of state — the first citizen of the country and the supreme commander of the armed forces. But the President’s role is largely ceremonial in India’s parliamentary system, where real executive power rests with the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.

That doesn't make the presidency unimportant. At constitutional moments — dismissal of governments, proroguing Parliament, signing of bills — the President's discretion can matter enormously.

Complete List of Presidents of India

Key Firsts Among Indian Presidents

• First President: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
• First Muslim President: Dr. Zakir Husain
• First Sikh President: Giani Zail Singh
• First Dalit President: K.R. Narayanan
• First Woman President: Pratibha Patil
• First Tribal (Adivasi) Woman President: Droupadi Murmu
• Only President to serve two terms: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
• Only President elected unanimously (unopposed): Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
• Presidents who died in office: Dr. Zakir Husain, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed

Constitutional Provisions: Articles 52 to 62

The President of India's office is governed primarily by Part V (The Union), Chapter I of the Constitution — Articles 52 to 62 and related provisions.

Article 52: The President

Article 52 simply states: "There shall be a President of India." This is the constitutional foundation of the office.

Article 53: Executive Power

Article 53 vests the executive power of the Union in the President. But — critically — this power is exercised by the President either directly or through officers subordinate to him, in accordance with the Constitution. Read with Article 74 (Council of Ministers to aid and advise the President), this means executive power in practice is exercised by the Cabinet.

Article 54: Election of President

Article 54 specifies who elects the President:

• Electoral College = Elected members of both Houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) + Elected members of State Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabhas) + Elected members of Legislative Assemblies of Union Territories with legislatures (Delhi, Puducherry, Jammu & Kashmir)

Nominated members of Parliament and state legislatures do not vote in presidential elections.

Article 55: Manner of Election

Article 55 provides for:

• Uniformity among states and parity between states and the Union
• Proportional representation using the Single Transferable Vote (STV) by secret ballot
• Value of each MP's vote and MLA's vote calculated by formula to ensure equal representation

Value of an MLA's vote: = Total population of state ÷ (Number of elected MLAs × 1000)

Value of an MP's vote: = Total value of all MLA votes across all states ÷ Total number of elected MPs

This system ensures that states with larger populations have proportionally greater weight, and that Parliament and all states collectively balance each other.

Article 56: Term of Office

Article 56: The President holds office for a term of five years from the date of entering office. The President can be re-elected (no limit on terms).

But if the President resigns (letter to Vice President), is removed by impeachment, or dies in office, the term ends earlier.

Article 57: Eligibility for Re-election

Article 57: A person who holds or has held the office of President is eligible for re-election. Only Dr. Rajendra Prasad has used this provision, serving two consecutive full terms.

Article 58: Qualifications

To be eligible as President, a person must:

1. Be a citizen of India
2. Have completed 35 years of age
3. Be qualified to be elected as a member of the Lok Sabha
4. Not hold any office of profit under the Government of India, any state government, or any local or other authority

Article 59: Conditions of Office

The President:

• Shall not be a member of Parliament or state legislature (must vacate if already a member)
• Shall not hold any other office of profit
• Is entitled without payment of rent to use official residences (Rashtrapati Bhavan)
• Receives emoluments and allowances as determined by Parliament

The President's emoluments cannot be diminished during their term of office — this protects independence.

Article 60: Oath or Affirmation

The President takes an oath before the Chief Justice of India (or the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court if CJI is unavailable) to:

• Faithfully execute the office of President
• Preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the law
• Devote themselves to the service and well-being of the people of India

Article 61: Impeachment

The President can be removed by impeachment for violation of the Constitution. The process:

1. A charge must be signed by at least one-quarter of the total members of either House of Parliament
2. 14 days' notice must be given to the President
3. The charge is investigated by the House
4. Resolution to impeach must be passed by two-thirds majority of total membership of each House

Both Houses must pass the impeachment. No President has been impeached in India's history.

Article 62: Time of Holding Elections

Article 62: An election to fill a vacancy in the President's office must be held before the expiry of the term (i.e., before the existing term ends) or, if there is an early vacancy, within six months of the vacancy arising.

Presidential Election Process: Step by Step

1. Election Commission issues notification of the election with a schedule
2. Nomination: Any candidate needs 50 proposers and 50 seconders (all electoral college members); security deposit of ₹15,000
3. Campaign period: Presidential elections are low-key — no public campaigning typical of general elections
4. Voting: Electoral college members vote at Parliament and state assembly premises on the same day using preferential voting (STV)
5. Counting: Votes are counted using the transferable vote method — second preferences matter if no candidate has majority on first count
6. Quota: A candidate needs to cross the electoral quota (total valid votes ÷ 2 + 1) to win

The 2022 election: Droupadi Murmu won with 64.03% of the total value of votes, defeating opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha.

Powers of the President

Executive Powers

• All executive actions of the Government of India are taken in the President's name
• Appoints the Prime Minister and, on PM's advice, the Council of Ministers
• Appoints Governors of States, Chief Justice and Judges of Supreme Court and High Courts
• Appoints Comptroller and Auditor General, UPSC Chairman, Election Commissioners, etc.
• Appoints ambassadors and diplomatic representatives
• Receives foreign diplomats and heads of state

Legislative Powers

• Addresses joint sittings of Parliament; addresses Lok Sabha after each general election
• Summons, prorogues, and dissolves Lok Sabha
• Nominates 12 members to Rajya Sabha (persons of eminence in literature, science, art, social service)
• Nominates 2 Anglo-Indian members to Lok Sabha (before 104th Amendment ended this provision)
• Can send messages to Houses of Parliament
• Signs Bills — assent is required for a Bill to become an Act. The President can:
• Give assent (Bill becomes law)
• Withhold assent (absolute veto — for private member bills; pocket veto possible)
• Return the Bill for reconsideration (once) — but if Parliament re-passes it, assent is mandatory (except for Constitution Amendment Bills)
• Promulgates Ordinances when Parliament is not in session (Article 123)

Judicial Powers

• Grants pardons, reprieves, and remissions of punishments (Article 72)
• Pardons include cases of death sentence — a significant power

Emergency Powers

The President declares three types of emergency:

1. National Emergency (Article 352): War, external aggression, or armed rebellion
2. President's Rule (Article 356): Failure of constitutional machinery in a state
3. Financial Emergency (Article 360): Threat to financial stability

All emergencies require Cabinet recommendation. National Emergency requires Cabinet resolution in writing. State Emergency (Article 356) has been extensively used and abused — 126+ times since 1950.

Discretionary Powers

The President has limited genuine discretion — but these moments matter:

• Appointing PM when no single party has majority: President's judgment on which coalition leader commands confidence
• Returning a Bill for reconsideration: Rarely used but constitutionally available
• Dismissal of government: Only when government has lost majority and refuses to resign or face a floor test (very rare)

The Sarkaria Commission and Punchhi Commission on Centre-State relations have both addressed the limits of presidential discretion in state government dismissals.

Related: Election Commission of India

Related: Fundamental Rights vs DPSP

Frequently Asked Questions