Election Commission issues date for presidential election for 18 th July. Counting of votes on 21 st July ! President Kovind’s term expires on 24 th July!
The Election Commission of India has on Thursday declared the date of presidential election for 18 th July, the day on which the 16 th president of the largest democracy of the world would be voted for as the tenure of the present president Ram Nath Govind is to expire on July 24. According to the article 62 of the Constitution the new president should be elected before the expiry of the date of the current president. As such the chief election commissioner Rajiv Kumar, election commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey and senior deputy election commissioner Dharmendra Sharma had on Thursday announced the date of the presidential election for July 18 and other dates of the entire schedule. As per the presidential election schedule under sub section (1) of section (4 ) of the presidential and vice presidential elections act 1952 the notification of EC will be issued on Wednesday, the 15 th June. The last date for making nominations is on Thursday 30 th June followed by the date 2 nd July for withdrawal of candidates. The election will take place on 18 th July and the counting on 21 st July. On 22 nd July the day of the expiry of the term of the 15 th president Ram. Nath Kovind, the new president will be sworn in.
It may be recalled that the president is elected by the members of the electoral college consisting of the members of parliament of both the houses and the state assemblies which also include the national capital Territory of Delhi and Puducherry which too is a union territory. However, the nominated members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha including the members of legislative councils are not entitled to vote for the presidential election, they not being the part of the Electoral College. According to the Article of 55(3) of the Constitution the presidential election is conducted as per the proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote and the voting at such elections shall be by secret ballot. Currently the total strength of the electoral college is 10,98, 903 votes. These votes comprise of 776 member of parliaments of both the houses and of 4120 state assembly lawmakers of all the states, union territory Puducherry and National Capital Territory of Delhi. In 2017 the current president Ram Nath Kovind has won after securing 65. 35 % votes.
