The President of India is the constitutional head of state, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and the first citizen of the country. However, unlike the Prime Minister, the President is not directly elected by the people but through an indirect election system. This election process is carefully structured to ensure proportional representation of both the Union and the States.
Constitutional Provisions
The election of the President is governed by:
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Article 52 → There shall be a President of India.
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Article 54 → The President shall be elected by an Electoral College.
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Article 55 → The manner of election should be based on proportional representation using the single transferable vote system.
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Article 56 → The President shall hold office for five years.
Now, let’s break down the election process step by step.
Step 1: Who Can Become the President? (Eligibility Criteria)
To contest for the position of the President of India, a person must:
✅ Be a citizen of India.
✅ Be at least 35 years old.
✅ Be qualified to be elected as a Member of Lok Sabha.
✅ Not hold any office of profit under the Government of India, any State Government, or any local authority.
Note: The President can be re-elected for multiple terms. There is no restriction on the number of terms a President can serve.
Step 2: Who Votes? (The Electoral College)
The President is elected indirectly by an Electoral College, which consists of:
🔹 Elected Members of both Houses of Parliament (Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha).
🔹 Elected Members of all State Legislative Assemblies (MLAs).
🔹 Elected Members of Legislative Assemblies of Union Territories (Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir).
Important: Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha, and State Assemblies DO NOT participate in the election.
Step 3: Notification of Election
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The Election Commission of India (ECI) issues an official notification for the election.
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The Returning Officer, usually the Secretary-General of Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha, manages the process.
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The election must be conducted before the end of the current President's term.
Step 4: Nomination of Candidates
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A person who wants to contest must be proposed by at least 50 electors and seconded by another 50 electors from the Electoral College.
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The candidate must deposit ₹15,000 as a security deposit with the Election Commission.
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The Election Commission scrutinizes the nominations and rejects invalid nominations.
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Candidates can withdraw their nomination within a given deadline.
Why is the security deposit required?
This prevents non-serious candidates from contesting the elections. If a candidate fails to secure 1/6th of the total votes, the deposit is forfeited.
Step 5: The Voting Process
Once the nominations are finalized, the election takes place through secret ballot voting using the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system and Proportional Representation.
How Does the Voting Work?
✅ Each MLA and MP's vote has a different value to ensure fair representation.
✅ Voters rank candidates in order of preference (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.).
✅ Voting is conducted in secrecy.
Step 6: Value of Votes (Weighted Voting System)
Since India follows a federal structure, the value of votes of MLAs and MPs is determined in a way that balances the power of states and the center.
1️⃣ Calculation of an MLA’s Vote Value
The vote value of an MLA depends on the population of the state (as per the 1971 Census) and the number of MLAs in that state.
For example, in Uttar Pradesh (the largest state):
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Population (1971 Census) = 8,38,49,905
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Number of MLAs = 403
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Vote Value of Each MLA = 208
Whereas in Sikkim (a smaller state):
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Population (1971 Census) = 2,09,843
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Number of MLAs = 32
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Vote Value of Each MLA = 7
Why Use the 1971 Census?
This is because the population control measures introduced later (like family planning) shouldn’t disadvantage states with better demographic policies.
2️⃣ Calculation of an MP’s Vote Value
The value of an MP's vote is calculated as:
Currently, the value of an MP’s vote is around 700.
3️⃣ Total Value of Votes
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Total Value of All MLA Votes ≈ 5,43,231
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Total Value of All MP Votes ≈ 5,43,200
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Grand Total ≈ 10,86,431 Votes
Step 7: Counting of Votes & Declaring the Winner
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If a candidate gets more than 50% of the total valid votes, they are declared the winner.
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If no candidate secures the required majority, the candidate with the least votes is eliminated.
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The votes of the eliminated candidate are transferred to the second-preference candidate.
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This process continues until a candidate gets an absolute majority.
Example:
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Suppose Candidate A gets 4,00,000 votes,
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Candidate B gets 5,00,000 votes,
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Candidate C gets 1,00,000 votes (lowest).
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Candidate C is eliminated, and their votes are transferred to A or B based on the second preference.
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The process continues until one candidate crosses 50% of the total votes.
Step 8: Declaration of Results
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The Election Commission officially declares the winning candidate as the President-elect.
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The Chief Justice of India administers the oath of office to the new President.
What Happens if the Election is Disputed?
If someone challenges the election, the case is heard directly by the Supreme Court of India under Article 71.
Key Features of the Presidential Election Process
✅ Proportional Representation ensures that both states and the center have balanced representation.
✅ Single Transferable Vote (STV) allows second-preference votes to be counted, ensuring fair elections.
✅ Secret Ballot Voting prevents political pressure.
✅ Fixed Value of Votes avoids dominance by highly populous states.
The election of the President of India is a well-structured process that reflects the federal nature of Indian democracy. It ensures that the President represents both Parliament and State Legislatures, balancing the interests of both. The indirect election method prevents excessive politicization while maintaining constitutional stability.
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