People of great integrity and eminence have always held the high post of President of the Indian Republic. In this context, explain the following :

(a) Who is elected as the President of India?

(b) How is the President of India elected?

(c) Explain how the President of India can be removed from office?

(a) To seek election to become the President of India, a person must have the following qualifications:

1. He should be a citizen of India.
2. He should have completed the age of thirty-five years at the time of election.
3. He must be qualified for election as a member of the Lok Sabha but shall not be a member.
4. He should not hold any office of profit under the Central or State Government. The Governor of a State or a Minister of a Union or State or Vice-President of the Union is not considered a person holding an office of profit.
5. He should not be a proclaimed offender or a sentenced criminal under the law of the land.

(b) The President of India is elected indirectly by the members of an Electoral College.

Value of the vote of each member of the Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly) is determined by:

(Total Population of the State / Total number of elected members of the Legislative Assembly ) ÷ 1000

The voting power of an elected member of the Parliament is worked out as per the formula given below:

(Total Voting Power of All the States / Elected Members of the Parliament)

The election of the President is held according to the system of proportional representation by means of Single Transferable Vote System. According to this system, the voter may mark as many preferences (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, …) on the ballot paper as there are the candidates. After the casting of votes is over, first of all the first preference votes are counted. If any candidate gets the absolute majority or more than 50% of the votes, he is declared elected and there is no need of counting the second preference votes. But in case no candidate is able to get the absolute majority, then the candidate who has secured the least votes is eliminated and his second preference votes are added to the other candidates. This process goes on and ultimately the candidate who gets the absolute majority is declared elected. Any dispute that arises is settled by the Supreme Court of India.

(c) The President of India can be removed from office by the process of Impeachment.

• Resolution of impeachment is moved after at least fourteen days prior notice in writing signed by not less than one-fourth of the total number of members of either House starting the process.
• The resolution is passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the total membership of the House.
• When a charge has been so preferred by either House of Parliament, the other House will investigate the charge and the President has the right to appear and to be represented at such an investigation.
• If, as a result of the investigation a resolution is passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of the total membership of the investigating House, declaring that the charge has been sustained, the President will have to vacate his office.