Bhopal: Presidential poll preparation; special pen to be used in polls to arrive on Wednesday along with other election material

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The special pen that will be used in the presidential polls, along with other election material like ballot paper etc will reach Bhopal on Wednesday. These special pens are the only instrument they can use to record their votes. A team of officials of the state assembly are in New Delhi and bring the election material under strict supervision and safety, said assembly official.

Deputy CEO of Election Commission, Pramod Shukla and additional secretary BD Singh along with others are in Delhi and bring the election material from the Election Commission of India office. This material will be placed in the strong room situated in the State Assembly.

Voting for the President will be held on July 18 from 10 am to 5 pm in the state Assembly. All election material including the ballot papers etc will be flown to Delhi immediately after the voting under special security arrangements under supervision of a special team from the state Assembly, marshals and the MP Police.

The President is elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of MPs of both the Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of States and the Union Territories of Delhi and Pondicherry.

Nominated members of Rajya Sabha, Lok Sabha and the Assemblies, and members of state Legislative Councils, are not part of the electoral college.

Voters for the Presidential polls have to mention preference 1 and preference 2. The ballot papers are then taken to the Election Commission of India’s office and taken up state-wise and allotted to each candidate on whose name appears as first preference.