Basics
- Articles 52 to 78 in Part V of the Constitution deal with the Union executive that include the President, the VicePresident, the Prime Minister, the council of ministers and the attorney general of India.
- The President is the head of the Indian State. He is the first citizen of India and acts as the symbol of unity, integrity and solidarity of the nation.
Election of the President
- Type of Election
- Members of the Electoral College vote for the President in a system of proportional representation using a single transferable vote, where each member has a single vote that can be transferred to other candidates in a sequence of preferences.
- The candidate who receives the majority of votes in the electoral college is elected as the President of India.
- The Electoral College Consists of
- the elected members of both the Houses of Parliament;
- the elected members of the legislative assemblies of the states;
- the elected members of the legislative assemblies of the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry.
- People who Cannot Vote
- The nominated members of both of Houses of Parliament, the nominated members of the state legislative assemblies, the members (both elected and nominated) of the state legislative councils (in case of the bicameral legislature) and the nominated members of the Legislative Assemblies of Delhi and Puducherry do not participate in the election of the President.
- Process of Election
- The Election Commission of India announces the date for the presidential election and invites nominations from eligible candidates.
- Candidates must be a citizen of India, at least 35 years old, and eligible to be a member of the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Indian Parliament).
- A Candidate must be supported by 50 proposers and 50 seconders who are MP/MLA members of the electoral college.
- The Election Commission scrutinizes the nominations and publishes a list of valid candidates.
- Members of the electoral college, which is made up of elected members of the Indian Parliament and the Legislative Assemblies of the Indian states and Union Territories with legislative assembly, cast their votes using a system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote.
- The votes are then counted, and the candidate who receives the majority of votes is declared elected as the President of India.
- The President-elect takes the oath of office and assumes the responsibilities of the President of India.
- Qualifications for Election as President
- He should be a citizen of India.
- He should have completed 35 years of age.
- He should be qualified for election as a member of the Lok Sabha.
- He should not hold any office of profit under the Union government or any state government or any local authority or any other public authority
- Oath or Affirmation by the President
- The oath of office to the President is administered by the Chief Justice of India and in his absence, the seniormost judge of the Supreme Court available.