New Delhi: The presidential polls are expected to be held in July to decide on the successor of President Ram Nath Kovind, who will complete his term on July 24, 2022.


The just-concluded assembly polls are critical for the ruling NDA's calculations for the presidential elections.


Here Is How President Of India Is Elected:


The President of India is elected by an electoral college, which consists of the elected members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the state assemblies and also of NCT of Delhi and the Union Territories.


These elected representatives vote for the President, in theory representing the people who would ideally vote for the President.


In terms of numbers, the electoral college is made up of 233 members of the Rajya Sabha, 543 members of the Lok Sabha and 4,120 members of the assemblies -- a total of 4,896 electors.


Under this, the total value of the electoral college consisting of 4,896 electors is 10,98,903 and the winning candidate has to get an additional vote with at least 50 percent to be declared elected.


The nominated members of the state assemblies and the two Houses are not allowed to participate in the presidential election as they have been nominated by the President himself.


Besides, issuing whips to garner votes for a particular candidate is also prohibited.


Voting For The Presidential Election:


The presidential elections follow a system of proportional representation through a single transferable vote.


Each voter, as per this, marks out his preference for the presidential candidate.


Suppose there are three candidates, the voter will give his preferences. It is mandatory to give a first preference as the vote in its absence will be declared invalid.


If the voter, however, does not give other preferences then the vote will be considered valid.


The value of each vote is predetermined in proportion to the population of the state concerned based on the 1971 Census.


Oath:


The President-elect takes the oath a day after the outgoing President demits office.


The oath of the President is administered by the Chief Justice of India and in his absence the senior most Judge of the Supreme Court.


According to Article 56, the President shall hold office for a term of five years from the date on which he enters his office.


Opposition’s Comment Prior To Presidential Election:


West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday said winning the upcoming presidential election may not be easy for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as it does not have even half the total number of legislators across the nation.


“The presidential elections will not that be easy for the BJP this time. They don't have even half of the total MLAs in the country,” Banerjee said in the West Bengal Assembly, PTI reported.


“Opposition parties together have more MLAs across the nation,” she added.


Escalating her attack, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo categorically stated the “game is not yet over”.


Banerjee said that those not having even half of the total number of legislators in the country should not talk big as parties like the Samajwadi Party are stronger electorally than last time despite the recent drubbing in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.


“The game is not yet over. Even parties like the Samajwadi Party, which lost the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, has more MLAs than it had last time,” she said.


The TMC supremo’s remarks came despite the BJP’s splendid victory in four states in the assembly polls.