Election of President of India

➖ The Returning Officer of President election is the Secretary General of Lok Sabha or of Rajya Sabha, on a rotational basis.

➖ The Secretary General of LS is appointed by the Lok Sabha Speaker.

➖ The Election Commission, with consultation of Central government, appoints the Secretary General of Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha, as the Returning Officer during the President’s election.

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

➖ The Constitution has expressly provided that election to the office of President shall be by secret ballot.

➖ There is no concept of open voting at this election and showing the ballot to anyone under any circumstances in the case of Presidential and Vice Presidential elections is totally prohibited.

➖ Normally, members of Parliament are expected to cast their votes at the Place pf Poll in the Parliament House, New Delhi, and members of State Legislative Assemblies are expected to vote at the respective State Capital. However, on account of any exigency or special circumstances, the Members of Parliament can vote in any of the polling stations in the State capital/Delhi/Puducherry. Similarly, any MLA may vote at New Delhi instead of voting in the respective State Capital. For this purpose, the MPs/MLAs concerned have to apply in advance to the Election Commission in the prescribed format so as to reach the Election Commission at least 10 days before the date of poll.

➖ For marking the vote, the Commission will supply particular pens. This 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.