First BJP Candidate ever to win LS Poll unopposed : Mukesh Dalal

Mukesh Dalal, a candidate from the BJP, recently won the Lok Sabha election without any opposition. This is the first time in the last 12 years that a candidate has won an election unopposed. 

• Mr. Dalal's victory from the Surat parliamentary constituency is also believed to be the first time a candidate from the BJP has won a parliamentary poll without any opposition. 
• Interestingly, this victory follows the recent assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh where 10 BJP candidates also won uncontested. 
• Mr. Dalal became the only candidate to contest from the Surat Lok Sabha constituency after all other nominees withdrew from the race. The Congress party's Nilesh Kumbhani's candidature was rejected a day earlier due to discrepancies found in the signature of the proposers by the district returning officer.

Candidates win unopposed 

• There have been at least 34 individuals who have won parliamentary elections without any opposition since 1951, including Mr. Dalal, who recently won a seat in the 18th Lok Sabha. 
• Other notable figures who have won unopposed include Dimple Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, who won the Kannauj Lok Sabha bypoll in 2012. Her husband Akhilesh Yadav vacated the seat after becoming the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. 
• YB Chavan, Farooq Abdullah, Hare Krishna Mahtab, TT Krishnamachari, PM Sayeed, and SC Jamir are among the other prominent leaders who have won parliamentary elections without any opposition.
• Most of the candidates who have entered the Lok Sabha without a contest have been from the Congress party. 
• The Sikkim and Srinagar constituencies have seen two such unopposed elections each. 
• While most candidates have won polls unopposed in general or regular elections, there have been at least nine, including Dimple Yadav, who have won bypolls uncontested.
• In 1957, a maximum of seven candidates won the general elections uncontested, followed by five each in the 1951 and 1967 polls. 
• Three candidates won uncontested in 1962, and two in 1977. Similarly, one candidate each won the polls uncontested in 1971, 1980, and 1989.

What is the nomination process?

• The process of nomination for the Lok Sabha elections begins with the release of a notification by the Election Commission. 
• Candidates interested in running for the election register their names with the Commission and present themselves as strong contenders for public votes. The Election Commission then reviews all the certificates submitted by the candidates and makes a decision on their candidature for the Lok Sabha elections.

Who can nominate?

• Any Indian citizen who is listed as a voter can nominate themselves for the Lok Sabha seat. When a political party nominates a candidate, it means that the candidate has been selected by the party for the position. 
• However, many independent candidates file their nominations along with a symbol, the Election Commission will then review their application and assign a party symbol accordingly.

How is the nomination done?

• Candidates running for office must submit a nomination form to the District Election Officer along with a security deposit. The deposit amount is Rs. 25,000 for Lok Sabha elections and Rs. 10,000 for Assembly elections. SC/ST candidates need only deposit half of the amount, even in general constituencies.
• In addition to the nomination form and deposit, candidates must also provide an affidavit prepared by a notary. This affidavit should include details on their income, expenditure, and other important information. 
• Candidates must also submit documents such as a passport-sized photo, Aadhar card, PAN card, domicile, and caste certificate. 
• They should also provide information about any movable or immovable properties, income, expenditure, and loans of their wife and dependent children, as well as details on their educational qualifications, and any weapons and jewelry they possess. 
• Finally, candidates must inform the Election Commission of any ongoing criminal cases or registered court cases or punishments they have received.

Withdrawal process

• After submitting the nomination papers, the Election Commission examines the candidate's form and information, and processes such as withdrawal of nominations are completed. 
• The candidate can withdraw their name a few days after nomination, during a specified period of time set by the Election Commission. 
• To do so, the candidate must provide a written statement in the form of an affidavit declaring their intention to withdraw their name, and outlining the details of the withdrawal.