Constitutional Eligibility for Presidential Re-Election
Official heading: “Eligibility for re-election”
- Source edition
- The Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)
- Source locator
- Part V, Article 57, printed page 28
- Last human source-link check
- Not yet checked
- Last human legal review
- Not yet reviewed
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1. In One Sentence
Article 57 clarifies that a person who currently holds, or who has previously held, the office of President is constitutionally eligible for re-election.
2. What It Means in Everyday Language
Article 57 affirms that there is no constitutional term limit for the presidency in India. A sitting President or a former President is fully eligible to contest subsequent presidential elections.
Unlike the United States Constitution (22nd Amendment), which restricts individuals to a maximum of two terms, the framers of the Indian Constitution deliberately chose not to impose a rigid bar, trusting Parliament and the Electoral College.
In Indian constitutional convention, Dr. Rajendra Prasad remains the only President to have served two full terms (1950–1962). While conventions generally favor a single term, Article 57 preserves the legal right of any former or sitting President to stand again.
3. Practical Illustrative Example
A sitting President of India completes their five-year term and is nominated by an alliance of political parties for a second term.
4. Important Limits, Qualifications & Exceptions
Article 57 protects the democratic prerogative of former and sitting Presidents to seek re-election.
- No maximum term limits: An individual may serve multiple terms if elected.
- Applies equally to current incumbents and former Presidents.
- Subject to other constitutional qualifications and disqualifications set out in Article 58.
5. Operative Constitutional Text
6. Sources & Historical Assembly Deliberations
Assembly quotations are withheld until wording, dates, and attribution have been checked against the primary record.
- •Government of India (Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice) • Part V, Article 57, printed page 28 • Human source-link check pending
Primary PDF accessed and transcribed with AI assistance on 14 October 2026. Formatting and amendment annotation markers are omitted; operative wording is retained. This is not human legal review. Later amendments and commencement notifications have not been comprehensively checked.