16th Presidential polls to be held on July 18, counting of votes on July 21: Election Commission

NEW DELHI,JUNE 9: The 16th Presidential election will be held on July 18 and the counting of votes will be held on July 21, said the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday. Addressing a press conference, Rajiv Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner of India said the term of office of President Ram Nath Kovind will be ending on July 24.

Kumar further said, “The value of the vote of an MP will be 700. Those in preventive detention can vote and those in jail will have to apply for parole and if they get parole, they can vote.”

He stated that the total value of votes for MLAs for the 16th Presidential Election is 5,43,231. The total value of votes for MPs is 543200. The total value of the vote of electors for the Presidential Election, in 2022 is 10,86,431.

According to the ECI, the date for notification call is June 15, while last the date for filing nominations is June 29. The ECI further announced that the date for the scrutiny of nominations is June 30 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is 2 July.

As per Article 62 of the Constitution, an election for the next president must be held before the completion of the incumbent’s term. “A total of 4,809 electors to vote in the Presidential elections in 2022. No political party can issue a whip to its members,” said Kumar.

As per Article 54 of the Constitution of India, the President is elected by the members of the Electoral College consisting of elected members of both Houses of Parliament and elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of all States including the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

The nominated members of either Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha or Legislative Assemblies of the States are not eligible to be included in the Electoral College and therefore, they are not entitled to participate in the election. Similarly, members of the Legislative Councils are also not electors for the Presidential election.

The value of votes of the elected members of State Legislative Assemblies and both Houses of Parliament is governed by Article 55(2) of the Constitution. Previously, the Presidential election was held on July 17, 2017, while the declaration of the winner was made three days later on July 20.

Article 324 of the Constitution read with the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952, and the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Rules, 1974 vests the superintendence, direction and control of the conduct of election to the office of the President of India in the Election Commission of India.

-ANI