This is how India will elect her new president

Key Highlights

• Members of Electoral College will elect the new President on July 17.
• The announcement of the results will be held on July 20, four days prior to the termination of President Pranab Mukherjee's term in office.
• The present strength of the Electoral College is at 4896.

India will have a new President by the end of July as the current President Pranab Mukherjee’s term comes to an end on July 24.

“As per Article 62 of the Constitution, an election to fill the vacancy caused by the expiration of the term of office of the outgoing President is required to be completed before the expiration of the term,” a report by the Election Commission of India (ECI) said on June 7.

What does it take to be President?

Eligible candidates first and foremost must be a citizen of India who has completed the age of 35 and is qualified for election as a member of the House of the People, ECI report said.

He/She cannot hold any position in the government.

“A person shall not be eligible if he holds any office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any State or under any local or other authority subject to the control of any of the said Government,” ECI said.

The President cannot be a member of either House of Parliament or of a House of the Legislature of any state and if any such member is elected President he/she shall be claimed to have vacated his seat in that House on the date on which he enters upon office as President, source ECI.

Members of the Electoral College will elect the new President which will be held on July 17, Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi said.

As stated by the Election Commission of India document the EC comprises of elected members of both Houses of Parliament and elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of all States including National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

The present strength of the Electoral College is at 4896 with members of the Rajya Sabha adding up to 233 seats, Lok Sabha seats amounting to 543 and total members of State Assembly have been listed as 4120, source Election Commission of India.

The counting of the votes will be held on July 20 and the new President will be declared on this day, four days before the end of President Mukherjee’s term.

Each member of the Electoral College who is a member of a State Legislative Assembly will have a number of votes calculated basis statewise population.

“Each elected member of either House of Parliament shall have such number of votes as may be obtained by dividing the total number of votes assigned to the members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States under sub-clauses (a) and (b) by the total number of the elected members of both Houses of Parliament, fractions exceeding one-half being counted as one and other fractions being disregarded,” PIB said in a report.

For the Presidential election, the population of a State is taken to be the population at the last preceding census.

The new President shall hold office for a term of five years. This can be reduced if the President resigns his office by writing to the Vice-President and if the President is removed from office by impeachment for violation of the constitution.

Rules of impeachment as spoken of by the ECI report said, “According to Article 61 of the Constitution, when a President is to be impeached for violation of the Constitution, the charge shall be preferred by either House of Parliament. No such change shall be preferred unless (a) the proposal to prefer such change is contained in a resolution which has been moved after at least fourteen days' notice in writing signed by not less than one-fourth of the total number of members of the House has been given of their intention to move the resolution, and (b) such resolution has been passed by a majority of not less than two-third of the total membership of the House.”

“All doubts and disputes arising out of or in connection with the election of a President or Vice-President shall be inquired into and decided by the Supreme Court,” the ECI said.