How different things work
With President Pratibha Patil's term ending on July 24 this year, the lobbying over the choice of the next President is in full swing. Here is how the President is elected:
HOW THINGS WORK
Electing a New President
With President Pratibha Patil's term ending on July 24 this year, the lobbying over the choice of the next President is in full swing. Here is how the President is elected:
Procedure: The President is chosen by an electoral college comprising elected members of both Houses of Parliament and state assemblies. Their votes, however, have different weights. The weight of an MLA's vote is calculated by dividing the population of his state by 1,000 - to get the total number of votes the state has - and then again by the number of elected MLAs. Similarly, the weight of an MP's vote is computed by dividing the total number of votes assigned to members of the Legislative Assemblies of the states by the total number of elected members of both Houses of Parliament.
Proportional representation: Again, unlike other Indian elections, which are based on the 'first-past-the-post' system, the presidential election follows the 'proportional representation' system. Each voter indicates his preferences: first, second, third and so forth. A candidate cannot win unless he gets more than 50 per cent of the votes polled. Second preference votes of the candidate polling the least are transferred to the other candidates till one of them crosses the 50 per cent mark.
Current contenders: No names have been announced formally. But current contenders include former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, and Vice President Hamid Ansari.
Food for Thought
Enrica Lexie, the Italian ship carrying the marines who killed two Kerala fishermen in February, is still in Indian custody. Lawyers trying to get it released claimed before the Supreme Court that supplies aboard were running short because the Kerala policemen deployed aboard were eating far too much.
Pricey Spirit
A whisky created to mark the 60th year of Elizabeth II's ascension to the British throne is being sold in Singapore for $198,500 (around Rs 1 crore) a bottle. Only 60 bottles of this 'Diamond Jubilee' whisky brand have been prepared by the Johnnie Walker unit of Diageo Plc. Will it find buyers?
Slow Moving
The Gosikhurd irrigation project in Vidarbha, Maharashtra, is yet to be completed 24 years after it began. Inaugurated by then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on April 22, 1988, it was to cost Rs 372 crore. Now, the estimated cost of completion is Rs 13,600 crore, of which Rs 6,049 crore has already been spent.
Compiled by Basudha Das
Electing a New President
With President Pratibha Patil's term ending on July 24 this year, the lobbying over the choice of the next President is in full swing. Here is how the President is elected:
Procedure: The President is chosen by an electoral college comprising elected members of both Houses of Parliament and state assemblies. Their votes, however, have different weights. The weight of an MLA's vote is calculated by dividing the population of his state by 1,000 - to get the total number of votes the state has - and then again by the number of elected MLAs. Similarly, the weight of an MP's vote is computed by dividing the total number of votes assigned to members of the Legislative Assemblies of the states by the total number of elected members of both Houses of Parliament.
Proportional representation: Again, unlike other Indian elections, which are based on the 'first-past-the-post' system, the presidential election follows the 'proportional representation' system. Each voter indicates his preferences: first, second, third and so forth. A candidate cannot win unless he gets more than 50 per cent of the votes polled. Second preference votes of the candidate polling the least are transferred to the other candidates till one of them crosses the 50 per cent mark.
Current contenders: No names have been announced formally. But current contenders include former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, and Vice President Hamid Ansari.
Food for Thought
Enrica Lexie, the Italian ship carrying the marines who killed two Kerala fishermen in February, is still in Indian custody. Lawyers trying to get it released claimed before the Supreme Court that supplies aboard were running short because the Kerala policemen deployed aboard were eating far too much.
Pricey Spirit
A whisky created to mark the 60th year of Elizabeth II's ascension to the British throne is being sold in Singapore for $198,500 (around Rs 1 crore) a bottle. Only 60 bottles of this 'Diamond Jubilee' whisky brand have been prepared by the Johnnie Walker unit of Diageo Plc. Will it find buyers?
Slow Moving
The Gosikhurd irrigation project in Vidarbha, Maharashtra, is yet to be completed 24 years after it began. Inaugurated by then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on April 22, 1988, it was to cost Rs 372 crore. Now, the estimated cost of completion is Rs 13,600 crore, of which Rs 6,049 crore has already been spent.
Compiled by Basudha Das
