In this biography
Quick facts
- Born
- 1913
- Died
- 1996
- Birthplace
- Not independently established
- Country
- India
- Nationality
- Not independently established
- Known for
- Andhra Pradesh leadership, two Lok Sabha speakerships and an uncontested presidential election
Why this life matters
Reddy moved through state leadership, Parliament and the Lok Sabha chair before becoming the only valid candidate in the 1977 presidential election.
Timeline
Key moments
Speaker again
Reddy returns to the Lok Sabha chair.
Presidential return
One valid candidature produces an uncontested election.
From the freedom movement to state office
Neelam Sanjiva Reddy was born in 1913 and left his studies to join the freedom movement in 1931. He spent periods in prison and became a significant organiser in the Congress. After independence he held ministerial responsibilities in Madras and leadership roles in Andhra. He became chief minister of Andhra Pradesh in 1956 and returned for another term in the early 1960s, with agriculture and irrigation among the concerns associated with his state career.
Sources for this section: [1]
Parliamentary leadership and a failed contest
Reddy later held Union portfolios and served in both Houses of Parliament. He became Speaker of the Lok Sabha in 1967, leaving the chair in 1969 to contest the presidency. He lost that election. Returning to Parliament in 1977, he again became Speaker, this time in the political circumstances following the Emergency. The two speakerships and the intervening defeat show that his final rise to the presidency was not an uninterrupted sequence of victories.
An election without a poll
In the 1977 presidential process, the Returning Officer found Reddy to be the only valid candidate among the nominations submitted. No competitive poll was needed. He took office on 25 July and served until 1982. Reddy died in 1996. His career links provincial government, the management of parliamentary proceedings and constitutional office, while the nomination record explains precisely what uncontested meant. It does not mean nobody else attempted to stand, or that all electors cast individual ballots supporting him.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions about Neelam Sanjiva Reddy
- What is Neelam Sanjiva Reddy known for?
- Andhra Pradesh leadership, two Lok Sabha speakerships and an uncontested presidential election.
Keep exploring
Lives connected to this story
- V. V. Giri
Compare the contested presidential election that Reddy lost in 1969.
Sources and further reading
Explore the evidence
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