EC to announce date of presidential poll on Thursday

The Election Commission will announce the schedule of the election to the office of the President of India on Thursday.

The poll panel has convened a press conference at 3 pm to announce the schedule.

The term of President Ram Nath Kovind ends on July 24 and an election for the next president has to be held before that day.

The president is elected by the members of the electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament, and elected members of the legislative assemblies of all states including the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry.

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.

In 2017, the presidential polls were held on July 17 and the counting took place on July 20.