Explainers · Polity

How the President and Vice-President Are Elected

Who votes, how votes are valued, and the rules for India's two highest offices.

Step by step

1. Who elects the President?

   An electoral college of the elected members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies, including those of Delhi and Puducherry (added by the 70th Amendment, 1992). Nominated members and members of Legislative Councils do not vote.

2. How is the vote counted?

   By proportional representation with a single transferable vote, through a secret ballot. Voters rank the candidates; a candidate must reach a set quota of votes to win.

3. Not every vote is equal

   An MLA's vote is worth: population of the State (1971 Census) ÷ (number of elected MLAs × 1,000). An MP's vote is worth: total value of all MLAs' votes ÷ total elected MPs. This keeps the States and Parliament balanced.

4. Who elects the Vice-President?

   All members of both Houses of Parliament, elected and nominated. State legislatures do not vote. The same system of proportional representation and secret ballot is used.

5. Disputes and removal

   Any dispute over either election is decided only by the Supreme Court. The President can be removed by impeachment for violation of the Constitution. The Vice-President can be removed by a Rajya Sabha resolution agreed to by the Lok Sabha.

Current figures (as of 6 November 2026)

• PresidentDroupadi Murmu, 15th President (since 25 July 2022)
• Vice-PresidentC. P. Radhakrishnan, 15th Vice-President (since 12 September 2025)

Exam facts

• President: electionArticles 54 and 55
• President: term5 years (Article 56)
• President: minimum age35 years
• President: impeachmentArticle 61
• President: oath given byChief Justice of India
• Vice-President: electionArticle 66
• Vice-President: term5 years (Article 67)
• Vice-President's other roleEx-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (Article 64)
• Election disputesDecided by the Supreme Court (Article 71)