BJP’s Mukesh Dalal not first to be elected unopposed; Know history of uncontested wins in India’s General Elections

BJP’s Mukesh Dalal emerged victorious in the Surat Lok Sabha constituency of Gujarat without facing any opposition, marking a rare occurrence in the Indian parliamentary elections. The election commission’s decision to reject the nominations of Congress candidates Nilesh Kumbhani and Suresh Padsala, due to discrepancies in their nomination papers, effectively cleared the path for Dalal’s unopposed victory.

This significant win for Dalal follows closely on the heels of 10 BJP candidates securing uncontested victories in the recent Arunachal Pradesh assembly elections. Notably, Dalal’s uncontested election to the Lok Sabha marks the first instance in over three decades, with the last such occurrence recorded in 1989.

Although Dalal’s victory is unprecedented in recent times, he joins a select group of 23 candidates in Indian history who have been elected unopposed to the Lok Sabha. The tradition dates back to the first parliamentary elections held in 1951-52, where Anand Chand secured victory as an Independent candidate from the Bilaspur seat. The last candidate to achieve this feat was Mohammad Shafi Bhat from Srinagar in 1989.

Notably, Mohammad Shafi Bhat from Srinagar was the last candidate to win a Lok Sabha election unopposed, in 1989. The gap between Bhat’s victory and Dalal’s uncontested win underscores the rarity of such occurrences in Indian politics.

What is meant by unopposed election?

In the realm of Indian elections, an unopposed victory is a rare occurrence but not unheard of. When a constituency has only one candidate contesting, the Election Commission of India declares that candidate duly elected immediately after the withdrawal deadline, eliminating the need for a poll.

Historically, notable instances of uncontested wins in the Lok Sabha include Farooq Abdullah’s victory in 1980 in Srinagar and Mohammad Shafi Bhat’s success in the same seat in 1989. While such occurrences are infrequent, they underscore the unique dynamics of Indian electoral processes.

Check names of those who were elected unopposed in the past 

Additionally, a handful of candidates, such as Dimple Yadav, have secured unopposed victories in by-elections, further exemplifying the occasional absence of opposition in electoral contests.

In a rare electoral phenomenon, Dimple Yadav, the wife of then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, clinched victory unopposed in the Kannauj Lok Sabha bypoll held in 2012. This unprecedented win came after two opposing candidates withdrew their nominations, effectively clearing the path for Dimple Yadav’s uncontested victory.

The bypoll was necessitated due to Akhilesh Yadav assuming the role of Chief Minister and vacating his Lok Sabha seat upon becoming a member of the Legislative Council. With the Congress and BSP refraining from fielding candidates, and the BJP candidate failing to file nomination papers, only two candidates remained in contention: Dashrath Singh Shankwar of the Samyukt Samajwadi Dal and Sanju Katiyar, an Independent. However, both withdrew their candidatures, paving the way for Dimple Yadav’s unopposed election.

On June 9, 2012, Dimple Yadav was officially declared the winner of the Kannauj Lok Sabha seat without a single vote being cast against her.

Before Dimple Yadav’s historic victory, the last instance of a Lok Sabha candidate winning unopposed was recorded in 1989. Throughout India’s electoral history, there have been sporadic occurrences of candidates securing victories without contest, with notable examples including former Deputy Prime Minister and Maharashtra Chief Minister YB Chavan from the Nasik seat and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference Chief Farooq Abdullah from Srinagar.

In the nascent stages of Independent India’s electoral journey, the inaugural election of 1951 saw a notable occurrence, with as many as 10 candidates elected unopposed. This trend continued in the 1957 election, where the number of Members of Parliament (MPs) winning without contest rose to 11, signaling an intriguing aspect of the young democracy’s electoral dynamics.

In the ensuing years, the trend of uncontested victories persisted, albeit with varying numbers. In the elections of 1962 and 1967, three and five candidates, respectively, clinched victories without facing any contest. Subsequently, in 1971, a solitary candidate emerged victorious without opposition, followed by two MPs in 1977 and a lone candidate in 1984.

Among the notable personalities who attained walkovers in general elections are former Deputy Prime Minister and Maharashtra Chief Minister Y.B. Chavan, who secured victory from the Nasik seat, and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, who triumphed in Srinagar.

These instances of uncontested victories offer intriguing insights into the dynamics of India’s electoral process, highlighting the diverse and occasionally anomalous nature of the nation’s democratic journey. As the electoral landscape continues to evolve, the historical trends of uncontested victories serve as compelling chapters in India’s democratic narrative, shaping the discourse on electoral practices and democratic principles.