Presidential poll : Value of vote of MPs likely to go down to 700 from 708

Tags: Latest National News

The vote value of a Member of Parliament is likely to drop from 708 to 700 in the Presidential elections to be held in July due to the absence of the Legislative Assembly in Jammu and Kashmir.

• The term of the current President Ram Nath Kovind is ending on July 24.

• The value of an MP's vote in the presidential election is based on the number of members elected in the Legislative Assemblies of the States and Union Territories, including Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir.

• The Electoral College for the election of the President consists of members of the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and the Legislative Assemblies of states and union territories, including Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir.

• Before being bifurcated into the two union territories of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, the state of Jammu and Kashmir had 83 assembly seats.

• The value of vote of a Member of Parliament

• Since the 1997 presidential election the value of a Member of Parliament vote has been fixed at 708.

• For the first presidential election in 1952, the value of a Member of Parliament's vote was 494.

• This increased marginally to 496 in the 1957 presidential election, followed by 493 (1962), 576 (1967 and 1969).

• Presidential elections were held in 1969 due to the death of President Zakir Hussain on 3 May 1969.

• The value of an MP's vote in the 1974 presidential election was 723.

• It was set to 702 for the presidential elections from 1977 to 1992.

• Electing the President

• The provisions for the election of the President are laid down in Article 54 of the Constitution of India.

• This constitutional provision has been established by the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Election Act 1952.

• The President of India has been recognized as the country's first citizen and head of state.