Presidential Election To Be Held on 18 July, Counting of Votes on 21 July: EC

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday, 9 June, announced that the polling for the presidential election will be held on 18 July, while the counting will be conducted on 21 July.

The last date for filing nominations is 29 June, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is 2 July, as per the EC's schedule announced by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.

A total of 4,809 electors are eligible to vote in the presidential elections this year. No political party can issue a whip to its members asking them to be present for the voting, the CEC said during the press conference on Thursday.

This will be the 16th election to the office of the president.

As President Ram Nath Kovind's five-year term is coming to an end on 24 July, the next president has to be elected by then, according to Article 62 of the Constitution.

Under provisions inscribed under the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952, the notification announcing the electoral process of the president can be issued by the electoral body within the period of 60 days before outgoing the president's date of exit.

How a President Is Elected

The presidential election is organised and overseen by the ECI.

The president of India is indirectly elected by an electoral college comprising elected members of the Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha, and all state Legislative Assemblies (including that of Puducherry and Delhi).

In essence, 4,120 members of Legislative Assemblies and 776 members of Parliament elect the president.

The total strength of the electoral college is 10,98,903 votes.

The National Democratic Alliance has 48.9 percent of the votes of all MPs and MLAs.

President Kovind became the president-elect following the counting of votes held on 20 July 2017. He was administered oath by then Chief Justice of India (CJI) Jagdish Singh Khehar to assume office as the 14th President of India on 25 July that year.