Presidency of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Indian presidential administration from 2002 to 2007
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Presidency of A. P. J. Abdul Kalam was started from 25 July 2002 when Abdul Kalam took oath as the eleventh President of India.[1]
| |
| Presidency of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam 25 July 2002 – 25 July 2007 | |
| Party | Independent |
|---|---|
| Election | 2002 Indian presidential election |
| Seat | Rashtrapati Bhawan |
 Emblem of India | |
Domestic affairs
Gujarat tour
In 2002, soon after assuming office, the President announced his decision to visit the state of Gujarat, which had been struck by an earthquake as well as deadly riots.[2] In his book Turning Points, Kalam wrote that he undertook the visit despite Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's objections.[citation needed]
Return of bill
In 2006, Kalam became the first President to return a bill, when he returned the Parliament (Prevention of Disqualification) Amendment Bill, 2006 bill to parliament for reconsideration.[3][4]
Mercy petitions
Kalam opposed capital punishment, and sent back nearly 50 cases of capital punishment for reconsideration, listing out reasons why clemency should be considered in each case.[5]
He commuted one death sentence, and rejected only one mercy petition (that of Dhananjoy Chatterjee, who was executed in 2004).[6]
Foreign affairs
List of state visits
