New Delhi, July 24 -- Only four of the 16 elections for the post of the Vice President (VP) of India have been won without a contest, while two elections witnessed a multi-cornered fight.
Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, who served as VP for two terms from 1952 to 1962, won both elections without a contest. In 1952, Janab Shaik Khadir Hussain from Nandyal in Andhra Pradesh filed nomination for the election, but his papers were rejected, leaving Radhakrishan as the sole candidate. In 1979, noted jurist and former chief justice of India Mohammad Hidayatullah was elected unopposed as VP.
Hidayatullah also holds the unique distinction of having served as the Chief Justice of India (CJI), VP and acting president.
As CJI, Hidayatullah stepped in to s...