Important dates for the Presidential Elections 2022

The Election Commission said Thursday that the election to pick India’s next President will be held on July 18, with counting taking place on July 21 if necessary. The tenure of incumbent President Ram Nath Kovind terminates on July 24, 2022, and the next president must be inaugurated in by July 25, according to the Election Commission.

The members of the electoral college, which includes elected members of both houses of Parliament and legislative legislatures of states, as well as the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry, elect the President of India.

The total number of votes cast for MLAs in the 16th Presidential Election is 5,43,231; for Members of Parliament (MPs), the total number of votes cast is 543200. The total number of elector votes cast for the Presidential Election 2022 is 10,86,431.

Following are the points from the Election Commission’s presser:

• The Election Commission will issue the notification for the next presidential election on June 15.
• The aspiring candidates can file the nominations after the issue of notification on June 15 and can be filed till June 29.
• Scrutiny of nominations will take place on June 30.
• The last date for withdrawal of nominations will be July 2.
• The total number of electors for the election will be 4,809 – 776 MPs and 4,033 MLAs. These include 233 Rajya Sabha members and 543 from Lok Sabha.
• No whip. Political parties cannot issue any whip to their MPs and MLAs in the matter of voting in the Presidential election.
• Anyone desiring to contest would need 50 electors as proposers and 50 others as seconders. The candidate would need to deposit an amount of ₹15,000 as security.
• The candidate must be a citizen of India and should have completed the age of 35 years, besides being qualified for election as a member of the House of the People.
• Voting venues: Members of Parliament (MPs) cast their vote in Parliament and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) their respective state assemblies.
• As per Rule 40 of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Rules, 1974, the Commission shall maintain a list of members of the electoral college referred to in Article 54 with their correct up to date addresses, for the purpose of Presidential election.
• The Election Commission, in consultation with the Central Government, will appoint the Secretary-General of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, by rotation, as the returning officer.
• The election will be held in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote and the voting at such election shall be by secret ballot.
• For marking the vote, the Commission will supply particular pens. The pen will be given to the electors in the polling station by the designated official when the ballot paper is handed over. Electors have to mark the ballot only with this particular pen and not with any other pen. Voting by using any other pen shall lead to invalidation of the vote at the time of counting