NEW DELHI (TIP): As President Pranab Mukherjee’s term ends on July 24, the Election Commission today announced that voting for choosing India‘s next president will be held on July 17 while counting will be on July 20 if needed.

Although none of the political parties have come up with names of their candidates yet speculations are on the rife. Some Opposition leaders have been trying to come up with the name of a consensus candidate. The ruling BJP-led NDA is likely to announce their nominee in the next fewdays.

WHO CAN VOTE

Only members of the electoral college are eligible to vote in the presidential election. The electoral college comprises elected members of both Houses of Parliament and elected members of the legislative Assemblies of all states including Delhi and the union territory of Puducherry. A total of 4896 voters including 4120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs are eligible to cast their ballot.

WHO CANNOT VOTE

All nominated members of Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha and legislative Assemblies do not have the right to vote. Members of the Legislative Councils also do not have voting rights.

HOW THE VOTING WILL HAPPEN

Unlike Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in India, the presidential elections do not have electronic voting system using EVMs. The Election Commission will supply a special pen to all voters to mark their choice of candidate on ballot papers.

A principle of proportional representation is followed under which the elector has to mark preferences against the names of the candidates. The elector can mark as many preference as the number of candidates.

While the marking of the first preference is compulsory for the ballot paper to be valid, other preferences are optional.

WHERE WILL VOTING BE HELD

Polling for the election will take place in the Parliament House and in the premises of the legislative Assemblies.

SECRET BALLOT

The Constitution has expressly provided that election to the office of President shall be by secret ballot. Voting procedure laid down in the 1974 Rules provides that after marking the vote in the voting compartment, the elector is required to fold the ballot paper and insert it in the ballot box.

NO WHIP

Political parties cannot issue any whip to their MPs and MLAs in the matter of voting in the Presidential election.

NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES

The nomination paper of a candidate has to be subscribed by at least 50 electors as proposers and by at least another 50 electors as seconders. A security deposit of Rs 15,000 is also needed.