It is almost certain that NDA's candidate for the Presidential Election 2017 Ram Nath Kovind will succeed Pranab Mukherjee as the President of India. HOW INDIA CHOSE ITS PRESIDENTSThe Presidential Election 2017 is the fifteenth of such elections to the office of the President. THE FIRST FIVE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONSThere were five candidates in 1952 Presidential Election. But, the number of contestants increased surprisingly to 17 in the fourth Presidential Election in 1967. POST-1974 PRESIDENTIAL POLLSAfter the rules of the Presidential Election were changed in 1974, the number of contestants declined from 15 to just two.

Source: India Today July 16, 2017 12:22 UTC