List of Shortest-Serving Prime Ministers of India: Check Tenure, No. of Years and Days

India is the world’s largest democracy, which witnessed a diverse range of Prime Ministers, in which some served as long-serving Prime Minister of India and others served for a short period as Prime Ministers of India due to political instability, coalition breakdowns, or transitional necessities. While long tenures often allow leaders to implement transformative policies, the shortest-serving Prime Ministers have also left their mark by leading the nation during critical situations. Gulzarilal Nanda was one of them and served the shortest term as Prime Minister of India when Jawahar Lal Nehru died in 1964 and Lal Bahadur in 1966. Their shortest tenures were often shaped by abrupt political shifts, lack of majority support, or internal party conflicts. 

In this article we will explore the list of the shortest-serving Prime Ministers of India, including their term durations and all the circumstances that led to their short-tenure leadership as a Prime Minister of India. 

Here is the list of shortest-serving prime ministers of India

1. Gulzarilal Nanda (26 Days)

Source: achhigyan

• Gulzarilal Nanda served as Acting Prime Minister twice—after the deaths of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1964 and Lal Bahadur Shastri in 1966.

• He was the shortest-serving Prime Minister in India 

• He is known for being a caretaker leader during transitions, as the absence of the head of the Government of India can create a problem in political instability.

2. Chaudhary Charan Singh (170 Days)

Source: PM India

• Chaudhary Charan Singh was the second shortest-serving Prime Minister in India.

• He took the PM office without proving a majority in Parliament.

• He resigned from the PM after the Congress withdrew support before he could prove his numbers.

3. Chandra Shekhar (223 Days)

Source: PM India

• Chandra Shekhar was the third shortest-serving Prime Minister in India. He formed a minority government with outside support from Congress to make an independent party, the Samajwadi Janata Party (Rashtriya), and became the PM of India.

• He resigned after Congress withdrew support due to internal disputes.

4. H. D. Deve Gowda (324 Days)

Source: PM India

• H. D. Deve Gowda was the fourth shortest-serving Prime Minister in India. He belongs to the Janata Dal party and became PM as a consensus candidate of the United Front.

• His government lost support after the Congress withdrew its backing.

5. Inder Kumar Gujral (332 Days)

Source: PM India

• Inder Kumar Gujral was the fifth shortest-serving Prime Minister in India. He also belongs to the Janata Dal party, and he took over after Gowda, who was also leading a United Front government.

• He also resigned following Congress’s decision to withdraw support over the DMK issue.

Conclusion

These short-tenured leaders who have served as Prime Ministers of India due to political instability and coalition challenges in India play an important role in the navigation of India's democracy even in the unstable political status of India. These leaders will be known forever for their leadership in India.