New Delhi: Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi on Wednesday announced that the Presidential polls would be held on July 17.
The nomination process will begin from June 14 with the issuance of a notification and the counting of votes will take place on July 20 in New Delhi where all the ballot boxes will be brought.
“The last date for filing of nomination is June 28 and the counting will take place in Delhi on July 20,” Zaidi said. The last date of withdrawal of candidature will be July 1.
If there is no consensus between the NDA and the opposition, the number of serious candidates in the fray will be clear by July 1 evening.
Various opposition parties have already held deliberations and have decided to set up a sub-group that is likely to meet within a week to build consensus on a joint candidate.
The electorate, comprising elected Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members and members of state assemblies, is tilted in favour of the NDA, but the opposition is trying to woo some regional parties to support their candidate.
The electoral college which elects the President through the system of proportional representation, comprises MPs and members of state legislative assemblies. A total of 4896 voters—4120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs—are eligible to cast their ballot. MLCs of states with legislative councils are not part of the electoral college.
While the Lok Sabha Speaker, an elected member, can vote, the two nominated members in the Lower House from the Anglo-Indian community cannot. 12 nominated members in Rajya Sabha are also ineligible.
Since the election is through a secret ballot, the parties cannot issue a whip to their members to vote for a particular candidate, Zaidi said.
The term of President Pranab Mukherjee ends on July 24.
(With PTI inputs)
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