President Of India Not To Stand Again

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31341, 11 April 1967, Page 17

President Of India Not To Stand Again

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) NEW DELHI, April 10. The President of India, Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, announced last night he would not stand again for office.

Dr. Radhakrishnan, aged 78, said in a statement: “Recent developments in connexion with the two highest offices in the country have made me most unhappy and strengthened my resolve to retire.” He did not elaborate further on the “developments.” Dr. Radhakrishnan is the second Indian President since his country obtained independence from Britain in 1947.

The president of India’s ruling Congress Party immediately announced that the Congress Central Parliamentary Board would meet tomorrow to decide the party’s candidates to fill the offices of President and Vice-Presi-dent. The terms of Dr. Radihakrishnan and the Vice-Presi-dent, Dr. Zakir Husain, will end on May 12. An election to fill both offices will be held on May 6, unless there is a unanimous agreement. The President's statement came less than a week after an announcement from the

opposition parties that the Chief Justice, Mr Subha Rao, had agreed to stand as a candidate for the Presidency. The seven parties proposed the 64-year-old Chief Justice for the presidency and Nawab Ali Jawar Jung for Vice-President In a letter to the Prime Minister, Mrs Indira Gandhi.

Mrs Gandhi is known to fav. our Dr. Husain as President, but some party members have expressed doubts whether he could defeat an opposition candidate in the event of a contest, because he is a Moslem.

President Radhakrishnan said in his statement tonight that he had clearly indicated his desire to retire some months ago. In a speech on January 26 (Republic Day), shortly before the General Elections, the President warned against internal differences, crippling widespread incompetence and gross mismanagement of India’s resources.