Presidential Election of India 2022 Polling Today Live Updates: India’s lawmakers on Monday voted to elect the country’s 15th President. Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha is pitted against NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu. Nearly 4,800 MPs and MLAs casted their votes across the country. The counting of the votes will take place on July 21. The monsoon session of the Parliament, which also began today, will witness the elections of a new president and a new vice-president, who will also be the ex-officio chairman of the Parliament’s Upper House, Rajya Sabha. Earlier today, Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha appealed to all MPs, MLAs to listen to their inner conscience while voting, while alleging that the BJP is using all its might and money power against him for the Presidential polls. “This election is crucial as it will be decided in the coming days if India’s democracy will be saved or not. Since, there are no whips for this election and the voting will be done in secrecy, I request all the lawmakers to listen to their inner conscience,” said Sinha.
Presidential Election 2022: MPs, MLAs vote to elect 15th President of India
Both Sinha and Murmu have travelled extensively across the country campaigning and meeting lawmakers in the days leading up to the polls. Sinha has been more vocal throughout the campaigning phase. On Sunday, in his final appeal to all the political parties, Sinha said that the fight is between two ideologies, and not two persons. While claiming that he will protect India’s democratic principles, Sinha stated that his opponent Droupadi Murmu is “supported by those who are mounting daily attacks on democracy.” Sinha further asked if India deserved a “rubber stamp president,” or someone who would defend the Constitution, instead of defending the Prime Minister.
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Six MPs including BJP's Sunny Deol didn't cast their vote in the presidential elections. (PTI)
After voting for the presidential elections ended at 5 pm, Chief Returning Officer PC Mody said that the total turnout at Parliament was at 99.18 percent, while adding that the elections were held peacefully and cordially everywhere. The ballot boxes from all states will be flown in to the Parliament by today, as per Mody.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Power Minister RK Singh cast their votes in PPE kits at the Parliament House in Delhi as they are recovering from COVID.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee casts her vote at the Bengal state assembly in Kolkata.
The Delhi High Court has dismissed a petition seeking to stop convicted MPs and MLAs from voting in the presidential elections. (Bar and Bench)
Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali on Monday boycotted the presidential poll, saying issues related to Punjab remain unresolved and he was not consulted by his party leadership before deciding to back NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu.
The Dakha MLA said he spoke to voters and workers in his constituency, and took the decision considering "sentiments of 'Panth' (Sikh community).
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has three legislators in the 117-member Punjab Assembly. NDA's candidate Droupadi Murmu is pitted against joint opposition pick Yashwant Sinha.
In a video message, Ayali said he is boycotting the poll on his won and the party leadership did not consult him before deciding to extend support to Murmu.
However, the Dakha MLA said he has no opposition to the candidature of Murmu. "But when the party decided to vote for the BJP candidate, I was not consulted. Even the Sikh community was also not consulted," he said. He alleged that there had always been discrimination against Punjab. (PTI)
Congress MPs Sonia Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor, and Mallikarjun Kharge cast their votes for the election of the President.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi votes for the Presidential election.
"I am a Congress MLA but I have voted for NDA’s Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu. It’s my personal decision as I’ve listened to my heart which guided me to do something for the soil and that’s why voted for her": Odisha Congress MLA Mohammed Moquim
Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar casts his vote for Presidential elections at Chandigarh.
Going against his party's collective decision to back Yashwant Sinha, NCP MLA votes for Droupadi Murmu.
"The one (Opposition Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha) who called Netaji (SP's Mulayam S Yadav) ISI agent, we can never support him. Hardcore SP leaders, those who follow Netaji's principles will never support a candidate who levelled such allegations," Shivpal Singh Yadav told ANI.
"We believe that Presidential polls are different from any political election. It's the highest post and vote should be cast for a suitable candidate," said Aaditya Thackeray.
"The tribal community of India never had an opportunity to hold this position before," said Tarkishore Prasad. (ANI)
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan votes in the Presidential polls.
Former India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh casts his vote at the Parliament.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah votes to elect India's next president.
Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur confident that Murmu will be elected as India's new president.
BJP MP Hema Malini casts her vote to elect India's 15th President at the Parliament.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur casts his vote to elect India's 15th President.
https://twitter.com/PBNS_India/status/1548899304453992449
Polling began for the presidential elections on the Rajasthan Assembly premises here at 10 am on Monday, with state Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot among early voters.
The state government's chief whip in the Assembly, Mahesh Joshi, also reached there to cast his vote.
Chief Electoral Officer Praveen Gupta said the polling will continue till 5 pm.
NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu is pitted against joint Opposition pick Yashwant Sinha in the much-awaited poll to elect the next President of India.
Both Murmu and Sinha had recently visited Jaipur to seek support for the elections.
There are a total of 200 MLAs in the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly besides 25 Lok Sabha and 10 Rajya Sabha members from the state. (PTI)
Maharashtra BJP president Chandrakant Patil on Monday said he was sure that some of the Congress MLAs who remained absent during the Eknath Shinde government's trust vote will vote as per their conscience in favour of National Democratic Alliance's presidential poll candidate Droupadi Murmu.
Speaking to reporters in the Maharashtra Vidhan Bhavan premises where voting was underway for the presidential election, Patil said the Congress cannot even guard its own MLAs.
"I am sure that some Congress MLAs who remained absent during the vote of confidence will apply their conscience this time as well,” he quipped.
The NDA has fielded Droupadi Murmu for the country's top constitutional post, while the opposition has nominated former Union minister Yashwant Sinha. (PTI)
"Our sister from the tribal community will now become the President. MLAs in MP are voting for her. I would like to appeal to everyone to rise above the boundaries of parties, vote on the basis of our conscience, & contribute to make Droupadi Murmu the President," says Chouhan. (ANI)
Voting to elect the next President of India is underway in Manipur Assembly Secretariat, Imphal.
"This election is crucial as it will be decided in the coming days if India's democracy will be saved or not. Since, there are no whips for this election and the voting will be done in secrecy, I request all the lawmakers to listen to their inner conscience," Opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha appeals to MPs, MLAs, while adding that the BJP is using all its might and money power for the Presidential polls.
Voting to elect India's 15th President underway at the Parliament.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel casts his vote in Gandhinagar in the election being held for the post of President of India. (ANI)
While the MPs will be given a green ballot paper, the MLAs will get a pink ballot paper to cast their votes. After the polling, all the ballot boxes from the states will be flown into Delhi and will be stored in a chamber within the parliament.
Congress, TMC, AAP, TRS, RJD, Left parties, NCP, DMK, SP, RLD, IUML, NC, MDMK and AIMIM are among the 34 parties supporting Sinha.
With the backing from non-NDA parties like BJD, YSRCP, BSP, AIADMK, TDP, JD(S), Shiromani Akali Dal, Shiv Sena and now JMM, Murmu is comfortably placed with over 6.67 lakh votes out of a total of 10,86,431 votes, with the majority mark set at 50% of total votes cast plus 1. If elected, she will become the first tribal woman to become the President of India.