Presidential Elections 2022: How are the votes counted and when will be the results declared?

Parliamentarians and legislators across the country voted on Monday to elect India's 15th president, choosing between opposition pick Yashwant Sinha and NDA nominee Droupadi Murmu who is favoured to win the battle to the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

The term of office of President Ram Nath Kovind will be ending on July 24.

As per Article 62 of the Constitution, an election for the next president must be held before the completion of the incumbent's term. Thus, the 15th Presidential election was held on July 18 and the counting of votes will be held on July 21.

With the BJP's dominance and support from regional parties such as the BJD, BSP, Shiromani Akali Dal, Shiv Sena and now JMM, Murmu's vote share is likely to reach nearly two-thirds and she is set to become the first tribal leader and second woman to occupy the top constitutional post.

While MPs filed into Parliament's Room No 63 that had been converted into a polling station to cast their vote, MLAs headed to state assemblies. A total of 4,809 electors, including 776 MPs and 4033 elected MLAs are entitled to vote in the election, but nominated MPs and MLAs, and Members of Legislative Council are not.

The Election Commission said over 99 per cent of the total electors had cast their ballot. In Delhi, voting ended with the 98.90 per cent of the electors permitted to vote in Parliament House exercising their franchise.

The value of vote of an MLA varies in different states. In Uttar Pradesh, for instance, the value is 208, followed by 176 in Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu. In Sikkim, the value of vote per MLA is seven, while it is nine in Nagaland and eight in Mizoram.

According to the Election Commission's directions, while MPs get a green ballot paper, MLAs get a pink ballot paper. The separate colours help the returning officer ascertain the value of vote of each MLA and MP.

How are the votes counted?

The votes for the election are counted beginning at 11 am at parliament. First, the votes will be sorted and checked by returning officers. There will be two trays - one for Droupadi Murmu and the other for Yashwant Sinha.

The ballot papers of the MLAs will be sorted out first and then the MPs. The papers which list Murmu's name first will be placed in her tray, and those for Sinha in his.

The counting of votes will begin after the sorting is completed.

The winner of the Presidential election is not the candidate who gets the most votes, but the one who gets more votes than a certain quota. The quota is determined by adding the votes polled for each candidate, dividing the sum by two and adding '1' to it. The candidate who gets more votes than this value is the winner.

The results are most likely to be declared by the evening.

How does electoral college system work?

The nominated members of either Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha or Legislative Assemblies of the States are not eligible to be included in the Electoral College and therefore, they are not entitled to participate in the election. Similarly, members of the Legislative Councils are also not electors for the Presidential election.

The value of votes of the elected members of State Legislative Assemblies and both Houses of Parliament is governed by Article 55(2) of the Constitution.

The value of the vote of an MP will be 700. Those in preventive detention can vote and those in jail will have to apply for parole and if they get parole, they can vote. He stated that the total value of votes for MLAs for the 16th Presidential Election is 5,43,231. The total value of votes for MPs is 543200. The total value of the vote of electors for the Presidential Election, in 2022 is 10,86,431.

When was the last presidential election held?

Previously, the Presidential election was held on July 17, 2017, while the declaration of the winner was made three days later on July 20.

What is the role of the The Election Commission of India in the election?

Article 324 of the Constitution read with the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952, and the Presidential and Vice - Presidential Elections Rules, 1974 vests the superintendence, direction and control of the conduct of election to the office of the President of India in the Election Commission of India.

(With inputs from agencies)