Presidential elections to be held on July 17, counting on July 20: Election Commission

The tenure of Pranab Mukherjee as President comes to an end on July 24.

Pic courtesy: ANI

Delhi: Presidential elections will be held on July 17 and counting will take place on July 20, the Election Commission announced on Wednesday.

"Last date for nomination is June 28," CEC Naseem Zaidi said while addressing the press.

All the ballot boxes will be brought to New Delhi.

Both the ruling NDA and the Opposition are yet open their cards on the Presidential candidate.

While the ruling alliance is likely to announce its nominee in the next few days, the Opposition is seeking to unite all non-NDA parties under a common platform to put up a consensus candidate for the presidential election.

If there is no consensus between the NDA and the Opposition, the number of serious candidates in the fray will be clear by July 1 evening.

Various Opposition parties have already held deliberations and have decided to set up a sub group that is likely to meet within a week to build consensus on a joint candidate.

The electorate, comprising elected Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members and members of state Assemblies, is tilted in favour of the NDA, but the Opposition is trying to woo some regional parties to support their candidate, as per PTI.

The electoral college which elects the President through the system of proportional representation, comprises MPs and members of state legislative assemblies.

A total of 4896 voters - 4120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs - are eligible to cast their ballot. MLCs of states with legislative councils are not part of the electoral college.

While the Lok Sabha Speaker, an elected member, can vote, the two nominated members in the Lower House from the Anglo-Indian community cannot. 12 nominated members in Rajya Sabha are also ineligible.

Since the election is through a secret ballot, the parties cannot issue a whip to their members to vote for a particular candidate, Zaidi said.

Responding to a question, he said the election to ten Rajya Sabha seats, postponed earlier due to presidential polls and EVM challenge held last week, would now be held after the Presidential election.

He said the 10 members would be retiring after the Presidential elections and are entitled to vote in the July 17 poll.

When asked whether the 20 AAP MLAs, against whom the EC is hearing a petition seeking their disqualification for allegedly holding office of profit, can vote in the polls, he said 'as on today' they can vote.

Originally, the case was against 21 MLAs, but one had resigned.

A total of 13 vacancies in Lok Sabha and state assemblies will be filled up after the Presidential elections, he said.

The tenure of the incumbent, Pranab Mukherjee, comes to an end on July 24. So far 13 persons, including Mukherjee, have held the post, with VV Giri being the president on two occasions.

(With PTI inputs)