Highlights: Polling for Presidential election ends; Opposition shift focus to Vice President's post

Jul 18, 2022, 21:43:29 IST

The opposition has now shifted its focus to the elections for the vice-president's post, in which senior Congress leader and former Union minister Margaret Alva will face NDA's pick - former West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankar.

Vice president candidates Margaret Alva and Jagdeep Dhankar in file pic.

The Election Commission Monday said over 99 per cent of the total 4,796 electors cast their votes in presidential poll, while 10 states and the Union Territory of Puducherry recorded a turnout of 100 per cent. The election was concluded successfully in a free, fair and transparent manner at the Parliament House and at 30 centres within State Legislative Assemblies across the country including in Delhi and Puducherry, the poll panel said in a statement....Read More

As per the experts, the numbers seem to be stacked in favour of the NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu, who contested the election against opposition's nominee Yashwant Sinha. Murmu received support from unlikely quarters with parties like Shiv Sena, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha extending their support recently. She had already received support from Biju Janata Dal and YSR Congress Party.

The opposition has now shifted its focus to the elections for the vice-president's post, in which senior Congress leader and former Union minister Margaret Alva will face NDA's pick - former West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankar.

Follow all the updates here:

Jul 18, 2022, 11:59:57 IST

Tamil Nadu CM Stalin votes in prez polls after recovering from Covid-19

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Monday cast his vote in India's 15th presidential election. The CM voted from Chennai after having tested positive for Covid-19 and being hospitalised last week. He came straight to Fort St George campus after he was discharged from Kauvery Hospital today morning, reported news agency PTI. Full report

Jul 18, 2022, 11:51:17 IST

Presidential polls: Confident of numbers, BJP looking to divide Oppn more in UP

As voting for presidential polls began in Uttar Pradesh on Monday, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) is looking forward to seeing how much they will succeed in further scattering opposition votes so that UP makes a grander contribution in ensuring a bigger win for BJP-led-NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu. Read more

Jul 18, 2022, 11:48:14 IST

Jayant Sinha, BJP MP and Yashwant Sinha's son, casts his vote

Jayant Sinha - BJP MP and son of Opposition's Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha - casts his vote for the Presidential election, at the Parliament.

Jul 18, 2022, 11:34:03 IST

Ex-PM Dr Manmohan Singh casts his vote

Former Prime Minister and Congress MP Dr Manmohan Singh cast his vote for the Presidential election. He is a Rajya Sabha MP from Assam.

Jul 18, 2022, 11:30:48 IST

Goa CM Pramod Sawant casts his vote

Goa CM Pramod Sawant casts his vote in the election being held for the post of President of India in Goa assembly.

Jul 18, 2022, 11:22:32 IST

7 BJP MLAs, 2 MPs may cross-vote for Yashwant Sinha, spent night in Westin Hotel, say senior Trinamool Congress leaders

Jul 18, 2022, 11:15:48 IST

Bihar BJP MLA arrives on a stretcher to cast vote

BJP MLA from Sitamarhi Mithilesh Kumar arrives on stretcher.

Jul 18, 2022, 11:02:03 IST

President Elections 2022: Union minister Anurag Thakur casts his vote

Union Minister and BJP MP Anurag Thakur casts his vote in the election being held for the post of President of India, in Parliament. He is an MP from Hamirpur constituency

Jul 18, 2022, 10:55:59 IST

Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami votes in the 16th Presidential election

Jul 18, 2022, 10:52:36 IST

‘Fortunate to be the first one’: BJP MLA reacts after being the first one to vote in Jharkhand Assembly

"I am fortunate to be the first to vote in the President election. I voted right at 10 am as the voting began," said BJP's Anant Ojha, first to vote in Jharkhand assembly.

Jul 18, 2022, 10:45:50 IST

Yashwant Sinha's message as votes are cast to elect India's 15th president

Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha on Monday urged the lawmakers to vote for him - “to save democracy” as voting began to elect India's 15th president. Read more

Jul 18, 2022, 10:41:32 IST

Presidential Election 2022: Andhra CM Jagan Reddy casts his vote

Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy casts his vote in the 16th Presidential election. He has supported NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu.

Jul 18, 2022, 10:33:33 IST

Presidential Election 2022: Rajasthan CM Gehlot casts his vote

Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot casts his vote in the elections. The Congress is supporting opposition joint candidate Yashwant Sinha.

Jul 18, 2022, 10:27:56 IST

Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik casts his vote

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik casts his vote. He has expressed open support to NDA presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.

Jul 18, 2022, 10:24:33 IST

Gujarat CM casts vote in Gandhinagar

Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel casts his vote for the presidential elections.

Jul 18, 2022, 10:16:25 IST

PM Modi casts his vote in Presidential elections

Prime Minister Narendra Modi casts his vote in Parliament. He is a sitting MP from Varanasi.

Jul 18, 2022, 10:13:39 IST

Bengal BJP MLAs flash victory sign ahead of voting

West Bengal BJP MLAs are seen flashing the victory sign as they queue at the state Assembly to vote for the presidential elections.

Jul 18, 2022, 10:10:57 IST

Yogi Adityanath casts his vote for Presidential elections | Video

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath casts his vote in UP Assembly. He is a sitting MLA from Gorakhpur Urban.

Jul 18, 2022, 10:08:14 IST

‘Expect to give historical lead to Yashwant Sinha,’ says Bengal minister

"We expect to give a historical lead to Yashwant Sinha from West Bengal. This would give a boost to the non-BJP camp," said Firhad Hakim, TMC leader and state minister

Jul 18, 2022, 10:05:48 IST

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin casts his vote| Video

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin casts his vote at the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

Jul 18, 2022, 10:03:49 IST

Voting begins for the Presidential election: Report

Voting begins for the Presidential election; MPs and MLAs across the country cast their votes.

Jul 18, 2022, 09:49:18 IST

‘New President & Vice-President…’: PM Modi on presidential polls

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “This session is also important because elections for the office of President & Vice President are taking place right now. Voting (for the Presidential election) is taking place today. During this period, the new President and Vice President will begin guiding the nation.”

Jul 18, 2022, 09:41:19 IST

Presidential polls to begin at 10 am and end at 5 pm, says Rajya Sabha secretary

The polling will commence at 10 am and conclude at 5pm. All arrangements have been made for free & fair elections. Security arrangements in and around the Parliament & particularly the venue of the poll have been strengthened, says PC Mody, Secy Gen, Rajya Sabha on Presidential poll.

Jul 18, 2022, 09:38:22 IST

Droupadi Murmu's win is certain, says BJP leader

NDA's presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu's win is certain. We have full faith that she will win record votes from Maharashtra: Ashish Shelar, Chief Whip, Bharatiya Janata Party, Maharashtra Assembly to ANI

Jul 18, 2022, 09:31:18 IST

Bengal: Suvendu Adhikari arrives at Assembly ahead of voting

Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari arrives at West Bengal Assembly ahead of voting for the Presidential election today. The BJP MLAs have also arrived at the assembly.

Jul 18, 2022, 09:20:22 IST

Who is Droupadi Murmu, BJP's candidate for presidential polls?

The BJP-led ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on June 21 announced its candidate for the July 18 presidential polls: the former governor of Jharkhand, Droupadi Murmu, the ninth holder of that post. Here are a few things to know about the NDA presidential candidate.

Jul 18, 2022, 09:01:39 IST

Who is Yashwant Sinha, Opposition's candidate for presidential polls?

The Opposition's Sinha, a former Union Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government who later joined Trinamool Congress is backed by Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Read more

Jul 18, 2022, 08:39:16 IST

West Bengal BJP MLAs en route Assembly for voting in presidential elections | Video

West Bengal BJP MLAs leave hotel for the state Assembly to vote in presidential elections.

Jul 18, 2022, 08:28:51 IST

How is a president elected?

The president is elected indirectly by an electoral college comprising the members of parliament of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, and the members of legislative assemblies of all states as well as the national capital territory of Delhi and union territory of Puducherry. Read more

Jul 18, 2022, 08:14:08 IST

Race to Rashtrapati Bhawan: Here's a list of 14 presidents of India

Among the 14 presidents of India since the nation became a republic in 1950, seven have belonged to a political party, of whom six were backed by the Congress. Meanwhile, seven others were Independents. Kovind, the 14th President of India, was the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-backed candidate to take the chair. Check full list

Jul 18, 2022, 07:59:32 IST

Patnaik calls Droupadi Murmu 'daughter of Odisha,' announces full support

Just a day before July 18 Presidential polls in the country, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday said NDA's Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu will get full support from the Biju Janata Dal, ANI reported. In a series of tweets today, Patnaik, who is also the chief of BJD, said, "Addressed all BJD MPs of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament commencing from 18th July. It is indeed a matter of honour and pride for our state that the daughter of Odisha, Droupadi Murmu has been nominated to the highest office of our country."

Jul 18, 2022, 07:54:06 IST

Prez polls: Political parties in Maha take precautions to ensure votes do not become invalid

Various political parties in Maharashtra are taking extra efforts to ensure none of the votes cast by their MLAs and MPs turn invalid in Monday's presidential election, PTI reported. A Maharashtra BJP leader said on Sunday that the party has taken extra efforts to educate each of its MLAs and MPs on voting for the Presidential polls to avoid their ballots getting invalidated for any lacunae

Jul 18, 2022, 07:45:13 IST

Reconsider your decision to support Sinha: Shivpal to Akhilesh

Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party-Lohia (PSP-L) chief Shivpal Singh Yadav in a letter to Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday had appealed to him to reconsider his decision to support opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha in the July 18 presidential election while referring to an old statement of Sinha calling SP patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav an “ISI agent”. Full report

Jul 18, 2022, 07:35:49 IST

Presidential poll: Odisha BJP offers prayers for Droupadi Murmu's victory

A day ahead of the Presidential polls in the country, the Odisha BJP unit offered prayers at different temples in the state for NDA Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu's victory, ANI reported. The party cadres organized prayers and lit diyas at Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath Temple at Puri, Shri Lingaraj Temple at Bhubaneswar, Maa Samaleswari Temple at Sambalpur, Maa Sarala Temple, Jagatsinghpur in Odisha.

Jul 18, 2022, 07:29:28 IST

Murmu talks of excitement among tribals, women over her nomination as Prez pick

A day before the presidential poll, NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu interacted with MPs from NDA on Sunday and said that tribals and women in the country are excited and delighted over her nomination for the country's top constitutional post, according to sources. Full report

Jul 18, 2022, 07:21:19 IST

Droupadi Murmu meets NDA leaders on eve of presidential poll

The ruling NDA’s presidential election nominee, Droupadi Murmu, on Sunday said her candidature has sent a positive message among tribal communities and women, who are excited at the prospect of a woman from a marginalised tribe occupying the highest constitutional office in the country. Read more

Jul 18, 2022, 07:14:56 IST

Will vote in Presidential poll, says Tamil Nadu CM Stalin

Tamil Nadu chief minister and DMK president M K Stalin on Sunday said he would vote in the Presidential polls on July 18, after getting discharged from a hospital here. Having recovered from Covid-19, Stalin is set to be discharged from a private hospital here on Monday. Full report

Jul 18, 2022, 07:10:05 IST

Presidential polls: Droupadi Murmu has easy edge over Yashwant Sinha

India’s 15th president is set to be elected on Monday, and Droupadi Murmu, backed by the ruling National Democratic Alliance, seems to be headed for a comfortable win with numbers in her favour. Challenging her is the opposition’s pick - Yashwant Sinha - who had quit the BJP in 2018. Murmu, if elected, would be India’s first tribal woman president. Full report