NEW DELHI, 14 June 2007 — India will hold election next month to choose a new president if the ruling coalition and the opposition do not agree on a consensus candidate, the Election Commission said yesterday.
The five-year term of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, a former missile scientist who became popular as the “people’s president” for his easy accessibility and friendly demeanor, expires on July 24.
Election, if necessary, would be held on July 19, the Election Commission said.
The president of India is the titular head of state, like the British monarch. Executive power is exercised in the name of the president by the council of ministers headed by the prime minister.
But the president has important discretionary powers in the appointment of the prime minister, especially when no party wins a majority in parliamentary elections, and can also return bills sent for assent before they become law.
Although the constitution allows a second term, all presidents barring the first, Rajendra Prasad, have served only one term as a convention.
Federal Home Minister Shivraj Patil is tipped to be the candidate of the ruling Congress party, while Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekawat, a former leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, is expected to run for the opposition. The president is elected by an electoral college of MPs and elected members of state legislatures.
The notification for the poll will be issued on June 16 and the electoral exercise, if required will be held on July 19, the Election Commission announced yesterday. Counting will be held on July 21. The schedule was announced by the full commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswamy at a press conference.
The election schedule was finalized at a meeting of the commission, attended by election commissioners Navin B. Chawla and S.Y. Qureshi, Gopalaswamy said. The election will be held in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote and the voting would be by secret ballot, he said. The last date of filing nominations is June 30 and date for scrutiny of nominations is July 2, he said. The last date of withdrawal of candidates in July 4, he said. The security deposit for the election is Rs.15,000, which is required to be submitted along with nomination papers.
