NDA nominee Ram Nath Kovind won the Presidential poll on Thursday and he would become 14th President of India on July 25. He got 7,02,644 votes while UPA's candidate Meira Kumar secured 3,67, 314votes, Returning Officer Anoop Mishra said.
Kovind got 66% of votes while Meira Kumar got 34 % votes. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee congratulated Kovind on his magnificent victory. Â
A formal announcement was made by the Returning officer Anoop Mishra.Â
Here are the highlights from the counting of votes:
#8:52 PM
Sonia Gandhi congratulates Ram N Kovind, reiterated Cong's commitment to work for upholding values intrinsic to Constitution
#8:31 PM
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari congratulates Ram Nath Kovind on his victory in Presidential election, in Delhi.
#8:15 PM
Congratulations Ram Nath Kovind ji. Wishing you a great term as President of India, tweets Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi
#8:10 PM
I extend to you (Ram Nath Kovind) my heartiest congratulations on your election as 14th President of Republic of India: President Mukherjee
# 6:52 PM
Feeling very happy. He is very simple and a quite person. He cares for everyone: Daughter-in-law of President-Elect Ram Nath Kovind
# 6:49 PM
I hope the tenure of Mr. Kovind would prove to be inspiring, encouraging and egalitarian: Mehbooba Mufti, J&K CM
# 6: 47 PM
His victory marks an important milestone in political history of India.It reflects empowerment of weaker sections of society: Mehbooba Mufti
# 6:46 PM
All over India people are celebrating. We all are very happy.It is a proud moment for us: Swati, Daughter of President Elect Ram Nath Kovind
#6:41 PM
When Kovind Ji takes over as President, crores of oppressed&poor Indians will see their representative on highest constitutional post: Amit Shah
#6:31 PM
Congratulate the 14th President of India Ram Nath Kovind. Congratulations to Meira Kumar for the courage she has shown: Lalu Prasad Yadav
#5:46 PM
PM Modi meets President-elect Ram Nath Kovind, congratulates him for becoming 14th President of IndiaÂ
# 5:22 PM
Ram Nath Kovind gets certificate of Presidential poll victoryÂ
# 5:17 PM
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar congratulates Ram Nath Kovind over phone for Presidential Poll victory
#5:03 PMÂ
 Want to make it very clear that today on 20th July 2017 my battle for ideology doesn't end, it will continue: Meira Kumar
#5:01 PM
My fight for secularism, the oppressed & the marginalised continues.I thank all my well wishers for their support & good wishes: Meira Kumar
#4:58 PM
My best wishes with Sh. Kovindji as it has fallen upon him to uphold Constitution in letter and spirit in these challenging times: Meira Kumar
#4:56 PM
I will represent the poor in Rashtrapati bhavan: Ram Nath Kovind
#4:56 PM
My win shows greatness of democracy: Kovind
#4:55 PM
 I congratulate Shri Ram Nath Kovindji for becoming the President of India: Meira KumarÂ
#4:55 PM
Never aspired to be President, my win is a message to those discharging their duties with integrity: Ram Nath KovindÂ
#4:54 PM
I thank all who supported me from across country, I feel very emotional, I'll represent all struggling to make a living: Ram Nath Kovind
#4:54 PM
This is an emotional moment for me today: President Elect Ram Nath KovindÂ
# 4:44 PM
Congratulations to Shri Ram Nath Kovind ji for emphatic victory in the 2017 Presidential elections. His victory is truly historic: Amit Shah
#4:35 PM
Ram Nath Kovind secured 2930 votes with value of 7,02,044; Meira Kumar got 1,844 votes with the value of 3,67,314; 77 invalid: Anoop Mishra
#4:24 PMÂ
 Official announcement made: NDA's RamNathKovind wins Presidential elections, defeating opposition candidate Meira Kumar
# 4:19Â
 Ram Nath Kovind becomes 14th President of India
#4: 18 PM
NDA's Ram Nath Kovind all set to become the next President of India, official announcement awaited.
# 4:16 PM
Ram Nath Kovind gets 66% votes while Meira Kumar gets 34% votesÂ
# 3:07 PM
Ram Nath Kovind got 1389/479585 votes and Meira Kumar 576/204594, 37 invalid after counting for Parliament & 11 states: Anoop Mishra, Returning officer
# 3:04 PM
Ram Nath Kovind :
Total votes polled: 522. Total value-3,69,576
Meira KumarÂ
Total votes : 225, Total value of the votes polled : 1,58,300
Total votes polled: 5,43,734
Invalid votes : 21
Break up of votes as per states
Arunachal Pradesh:Â
Ram Nath Kovind - Votes: 56, Value: 548
Meira kumar - Votes: 3, Value:24
Assam:Â
Ram Nath Kovind - Votes: 91, Value: 10,556
Meira Kumar - Votes: 35, Value :4060
Bihar:Â
Ram Nath Kovind - Vote : 130, Value: 22,490
Meira Kumar - Â Votes: 109, Value: 18,857
Chattisgarh:Â
Ram Nath Kovind- Votes: 52, Value:6,708
Meira Kumar: Votes: 35, Value: 4,505
Jharkhand:
Ram Nath Kovind - Votes:51, Value: 8976
Meira Kumar - Votes: 26, Value:4576
Invalid: 4 votes
GoaÂ
Ram Nath Kovind - Votes: 25, Value: 500
Meira Kumar - Votes: 11, Value: 220
Invalid 2Â
Gujarat
Ram Nath Kovind - Votes: 132, Value:9404
Meira Kumar - Votes: 49, Value: 7,203
Haryana
Ram Nath Kovind - Votes 73, Value: 8,176
Meira Kumar - Votes 16, Â Value: 1,792
Himachal PradeshÂ
Ram Nath Kovind- Votes 30, Value: 1,530
Meira Kumar - Votes 37, Value: 1,887
J and KÂ
Ram Nath Kovind - Votes 56, Value: 4032
Meira Kumar: Votes 30, Value: 2160
# 2:50 PM
Presidential Poll 2017: Ram Nath Kovind leading with 1389/479585, Meira Kumar 576/204594, 37 invalid after counting for Parliament & 12 states
# 2:44 PM
Parliament: Total votes polled in favor of Ram Nath Kovind is 522 in value of 3,69,576; 225 for Meira Kumar in value of 1,59,300; invalid 21
# 2:25 PM
I am not upset, why should I be upset? I am a fighter, I fought for the belief and faith of majority of my countrymen and women: Meira Kumar
# 1:34 PM
Meira Kumar gets 22,941 votes in first round of counting
# 1:33 PM
Ram Nath Kovind gets 60,683 votes in first round of counting
# 1:32 PM
Ram Nath Kovind ahead in first round of counting of votes
# 12:54 PM
Counting of votes underway in Parliament
# 11:22 AM
Great belief in ideology I fought for,also believe in inner voice of conscience lets see how much it prevails: Meira Kumar
# 11:08 AM
Visuals of counting of votes
# 11:00 AM
Counting of votes for Presidential post begins
An Election Commission official, who has witnessed previous two presidential polls, said usually results are declared around 5 PM.
Close to 99 per cent voting was recorded for electing India’s next president. Thirty two polling stations, including the one in Parliament House, were set up in various states. A total of 4,896 voters -- 4,120 MLAs and 776 elected MPs were eligible to cast their ballot. MLCs of states with legislative council are not part of the electoral college.
While the value of an MLA’s vote depends on the population of his or her state, the value of an MP’s vote remains the same at 708.
The numbers are stacked in favour of the ruling coalition’s nominee Kovind, a former Bihar governor, over the opposition’s candidate and former Lok Sabha Speaker Kumar.
Process to elect the President of the Republic of India:
The process is a little tricky but we have tried to simplify the “maths†behind the election of India’s top constitutional post.
The first thing you should know is the President is not elected by the People. Instead, it is elected by an electoral college which includes members of the Parliament and State Assemblies. However, the nominated members are not allowed to vote.
Total 4,120 members of the state legislative assemblies and 776 members of parliament elect the President of India.
Let me tell you it doesn’t mean there will be only 4896 votes (MLAs+MPs). There is a certain value of each MLA and MP's vote.
The value of an MLA’s vote differs across states but it remains the same for an MP’s vote.
The Value of an MLA’s vote depends on the population of each state. The total population of the state (1971 census) is divided by 1,000 and number of MLAs in the state assembly.
By this calculation, the value of an MLA’s vote in UP is different from Delhi and Sikkim. In UP, the value of an MLA’s vote is 208 while in Delhi it is 58. In Sikkim, it is only 7.Â
The total value of all MLA votes is 5,49,495.
On the other hand, the value of an MP’s vote is same and it is 708. The total value of MLA votes is divided by the total no. of MPs (only elected).
A candidate needs more than 50 per cent votes to win the election.Â
Know all who supported Ram Nath Kovind apart from NDA allies:
# AIADMK – Tamil Nadu CM Edapaddi Palanisami has announced support for Kovind
# O. Panneerselvam, rebel leader too put his weight behind the NDA candidate
# Biju Janata Dal chief and Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik
# Bihar CM Nitish Kumar who’s also the chief of Janata Dal (United)
# K. Chandrashekhar Rao of Telangana Rashtra Samithi
# Independent MLA from Kunda, Uttar Pradesh Raghuraj Pratap Singh aka Raja Bhaiya too offered his support to Kovind. He also said that he voted for Kovind as he had a great relationship with him.
# 6 TMC MLAs from Tripura too had offered their support to the NDA nominee
# Congress had claimed that the Presidential election represented a clash of ideas and conflict of disparate values.
Know all who supported Meira Kumar apart from UPA allies
# Trinamool Congress - West Bengal CM and chief Mamata Banerjee has announced support for Meira Kumar
# AAP – Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal too has offered support to the UPA candidate
Ram Nath Kovind
The NDA's presidential pick Ram Nath Kovind had assured all MPs and MLAs that he would act in an "impartial manner" and upkeep the dignity of the office of the President.
He has said the President's post is above party politics as it is the highest constitutional post of the country.
Kovind had said that once he became the Governor of Bihar, he did not remain a member of any political party and had performed all his duties as governor as per the Constitution.      Â
Meira Kumar
Meira Kumar, the opposition's presidential candidate, had said that although she respected her rival NDA contestant Ram Nath Kovind; the Presidential election was a battle of two ideologies.
She has also said that it was a sad situation that the Presidential poll was being dubbed as a 'Dalit vs Dalit' contest. Kumar had lamented that since the battle this time was between her and former Bihar governor Kovind, both of whom were Dalits, nothing else was being discussed apart from their caste.
With PTI inputs
The name of the next occupant of the Rashtrapati Bhawan would be known by 5.00 pm. The voting took place on Monday.
First, the ballot box of Parliament House would be opened, and then, the ballot boxes received from states would be counted on alphabetical basis.
The votes would be counted on four separate tables and there would be eight rounds of counting.
An Election Commission official, who has witnessed previous two presidential polls, said usually results are declared around 5 PM.
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