The Election Commission of India announced the dates for the Presidential elections. CEC Naseem Zaidi informed the nation that the poll will be notified on June 14 by the Election Commission and that the last day for nomination is June 28. The last day for scrutiny is June 29, and the last day of withdrawal for the nomination will be July 1.
Zaidi, addressing a press conference, said no party can issue a whip and MPs and MLAs can choose not to vote. The polls will be held using ballot paper, and the pen for voting will be issued by the Election Commission. Votes cast using any other pen will be cancelled. As President Pranab Mukherjee prepares to retire in July, political parties in the country scramble to decide their position on the issue. While the Opposition is considering talking to the ruling government for a consensus candidate, it also plans to field its candidate in case their offer is declined.
Modi government and its allies don't have any visible troubles as they have statistics on their court. The NDA just needs 1.7 per cent votes to reach the halfway mark, especially after its Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand wins. It banks on the support of parties like TRS, YSR Congress, and two factions of the AIADMK. The BJP camp has seen speculation over the names of senior leaders like Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, and social justice and empowerment minister Thawarchand Gehlot. The Opposition that comprises of parties like the Congress, Trinamool, Left, RJD, DMK, and NCP, have decided to put a nominee and use the campaign to highlight and oppose BJP's “majoritarian” policies. A sub-committee chaired by NCP chief Sharad Pawar is yet to identify a “secular” consensus candidate.
A security deposit of Rs 15,000 has been mandated for each nomination. Zaidi said, “The EVMs are as yet not configured to facilitate preferential voting. As a result, we will use paper ballots for the polls.” He also clarified all elections to vacancies in the state assemblies would only be filled after the presidential polls.
