Ram Nath Kovind elected India's 14th President: As it happened

Ram Nath Kovind is the first BJP member to be elected President.

New Delhi: Ram Nath Kovind, the ruling NDA coalition's candidate, was on Thursday elected as India's 14th President with an overwhelming majority of votes from the country's lawmakers.

Kovind defeated the joint opposition candidate Meira Kumar, a former Lok Sabha speaker, garnering 65.65 percent of the votes in the Electoral College, the Returning Officer for the poll announced.

The 71-year old Kovind, a former Bihar governor who will be the second Dalit to hold the top constitutional position, received 2930 votes with a value of 702044, the returning officer, Anoop Mishra, said.

Kovind is the first BJP member to be elected president. 

He will take oath on July 25, succeeding President Pranab Mukherjee, for a five-year term.

20 July 2017

18:13 IST

Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Shri Ram Nath Kovind on being elected as the 14th President of India, says outgoing President Pranab Mukherjee.

Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to Shri Ram Nath Kovind on being elected as the 14th President of India #PresidentMukherjee

— President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) July 20, 2017

18:09 IST

Meira Kumar tweets:

I congratulate Sh. Ram Nath Kovindji for becoming the President of India. 1/2

— Meira Kumar (@meira_kumar) July 20, 2017

My best wishes are with Sh. Kovindji as it has fallen upon him to uphold the Constitution in letter & spirit in these challenging times. 2/2

— Meira Kumar (@meira_kumar) July 20, 2017

I want to thank all the members of the collegium, Smt Sonia Gandhiji & leaders of all the political parties who have supported me. 1/2

— Meira Kumar (@meira_kumar) July 20, 2017

My fight for secularism, the oppressed & the marginalised continues.I thank all my well wishers for their support & good wishes.

— Meira Kumar (@meira_kumar) July 20, 2017