How the President of India is elected

Do you know how India's 14th President will be elected?
Please scroll to read.
Created by Ashish Narsale/Rediff.com
Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

How is the President of India Elected?

Eligibility to become the President

Should be a citizen of India

Should be at least 35 years of age

Should be qualified for election as a member of the Lok Sabha

Should be registered as an elector in any parliamentary constituency in India

The candidate shall not hold any office of profit

The candidate's nomination form needs to be subscribed by at least 50 electors as proposers and 50 electors as seconders

Who will elect the President?

The President is not directly elected by the people. But by the electoral college, which consists of MPs and MLAs
In 2017, the total number of members in the electoral college, as reported by the Election Commission of India, is 4,896.
The break-up is as follows:

• Members of Rajya Sabha: 233
• Members of Lok Sabha: 543
• Total members of state assemblies: 4,120
• Total: 4,896

Value of votes

In the Lok Sabha or assembly elections, the value of every citizen's vote is the same. However, in the Presidential elections, the value of an MP's vote and an MLA's vote is different.
The value of the vote of an MLA in a state is determined on the basis of the population of the state as per the 1971 Census
For example, in Telangana:
Number of assembly seats = 119
Population of Telangana as per the 1971 Census = 15.70 million or 1.57 crore
Value of the vote of each MLA =

1.57 cr
119

x 1000 = 132 Total value of votes of all the state MLAs =
119 x 132 = 15,708

The value of an MP's vote is determined by dividing the total value of votes of all the MLAs with the total number of MPs

For example, in 2017:
Total value of votes of all MLAs = 5,49,495
Total number of MPs =
543 (LS) + 233 (RS)=776
Value of the vote of each MP =

5,49,495
776

= 708 Total value of votes of all the MPs =
776 X 708 = 5,49,408
Therefore,
Total value of MLA votes in 2017 = 5,49,495
Total value of MP votes in 2017 = 5,49,408
Total value of votes for the Presidential election in 2017 = 10,98,903
The halfway mark is expected to be 5,49,442 votes. However, the actual halfway mark depends on the number of valid votes.

Where will the President of India elections 2017 be held?

The elections will be held in Parliament House, New Delhi, and in all state legislative assembly secretariats.
The members cast their votes in a secret paper ballot.
For 2017, the Election Commission has directed that the ballot papers be printed in two colours:

Green ballot papers for use by MPs

Pink ballot papers for use by MLAs

Election schedule

June 14: Issue of notification
June 28: Last date to make a nomination
June 29: Date for scrutiny of a nomination
July 1: Last day to withdraw a nomination
July 17: Date of election (if needed)
July 20: Counting of votes will be held in New Delhi (if needed)

Winner

The winning candidate goes to the Rashtrapati Bhavan as the 14th President of India.