The President of India is not elected directly by the people. Instead, an indirect Electoral College — made up of elected MPs and elected State Assembly members — chooses the head of state through proportional representation by single transferable vote.
mcqquestion.com · Indian Polity
President’s Election
An indirect election through an Electoral College of Parliament + State Assemblies.
Electoral CollegeElected MPs of both Houses + elected members of State Legislative Assemblies.
ExcludedNominated MPs and MLAs, and members of Legislative Councils, do NOT vote.
Proportional ValueValue of each vote is weighted — by population (MLAs) and by elected MPs.
Single Transferable VoteElection uses proportional representation by single transferable vote.
The trap: Nominated members and State Legislative Councils are excluded from the Electoral College — only elected MPs and elected State Assembly members vote.
Must Know
The Electoral College
- MembersThe Electoral College consists of the elected members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies.
- ExcludedNominated members of Parliament and State Assemblies, and members of Legislative Councils, do not vote.
- ArticleThe manner of election is laid down in Article 54 and Article 55.
- Why it mattersThis indirect election balances the Union and the States in choosing the head of state.
Indirect and Proportional
- IndirectThe President is elected indirectly by the Electoral College, not by the people directly.
- STVElection uses proportional representation by single transferable vote.
- Secret ballotVoting is by secret ballot.
- WhyThis design ensures the President has broad national support, not just a regional or party majority.
Good to Know
The Weighted Vote
- Value of MLA voteAn MLA’s vote is valued in proportion to the State’s population divided by the number of elected MLAs.
- Value of MP voteAn MP’s vote value is calculated so that the total of all MPs’ votes equals the total of all MLAs’ votes.
- WhyThis weighting gives States and the Union equal overall weight in the election.
- So whatThe system is designed for fairness between big and small states.
Disputes and Quorum
- DisputesDoubts and disputes over the President’s election are decided by the Supreme Court.
- Void electionAn election cannot be challenged on the ground of a vacancy in the Electoral College.
- WhyThe Supreme Court has exclusive jurisdiction over presidential election disputes.
- TakeawayElection disputes go to the Supreme Court.
✅ Test Yourself
Work through a 5-question chain on President’s Election, then keep practising with a random Indian Polity question.
Great to Know
Article 54 vs Article 55
- Article 54Sets out who elects the President — the composition of the Electoral College.
- Article 55Sets out the manner of election — proportionality, single transferable vote, and the weighted value of votes.
- Why54 defines the voters; 55 defines the method.
- So whatKnow which article does which.
- TakeawayMemorise: 54 = composition of the college; 55 = the proportional, weighted method.
The ‘Nominated Members Excluded’ Rule
- RuleNominated members of Parliament and State Assemblies are excluded from the Electoral College.
- CouncilsMembers of State Legislative Councils also do not vote.
- WhyOnly elected representatives choose the President, preserving the electoral legitimacy of the process.
- So whatThis is a frequent exam point.
- TakeawayBecause only elected representatives choose the President, the college reflects actual electoral mandates.
Vice-President’s Electoral College
- DifferentThe Vice-President is elected by a different, smaller Electoral College — only the elected and nominated members of both Houses of Parliament.
- No MLAsState Assembly members do not vote for the Vice-President.
- WhyThe two electoral colleges differ — the President’s includes States; the VP’s is Parliament-only.
- So whatDon’t confuse the two colleges.
- TakeawayThe VP’s college is Parliament-only, so no State Assembly member participates.
The Role of the Supreme Court
- JurisdictionThe Supreme Court has exclusive and final jurisdiction over disputes about the President’s election.
- GroundsIt decides questions of validity, including whether the election was tainted.
- WhyThis keeps the head-of-state election free from ordinary-court review.
- So whatAny presidential election dispute is settled by the SC.
- TakeawayThe SC’s exclusive jurisdiction protects the integrity of the highest electoral office.
Exam-Angle Summary
- CollegeElected MPs + elected MLAs.
- ExcludedNominated members + Legislative Council members.
- MethodProportional representation by single transferable vote.
- DisputesSupreme Court.
- WhyThese are the exact points examiners test.
PYQ / Exam Angle
UPSC CSP 2018: Value of MLA Vote
- QuestionUPSC asked: (1) The value of the vote of each MLA varies from State to State. (2) The value of the vote of Lok Sabha MPs is more than that of Rajya Sabha MPs. Which is/are correct? Answer: statement 1 only.
- WhyAn MLA’s vote value depends on the ratio of the State’s population to its elected MLAs, so it varies by State. But Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs have the same vote value — so statement 2 is wrong.
- LinkSource: UPSC CSP 2018 GS Paper I (see Q32).
The ‘Who Does Not Vote’ Trap
- Fact testedThe Electoral College includes elected MPs and elected MLAs — it excludes nominated members and State Legislative Council members.
- TrapExaminers test that nominated MPs/MLAs and Legislative Councils do not vote.
- TryRecall: only elected representatives of Parliament + State Assemblies choose the President.
The ‘Which Article’ Question
- Fact testedArticle 54 = who elects (Electoral College); Article 55 = manner of election (proportional, weighted).
- TrapConfusing 54 and 55, or naming 61 (impeachment).
- Try54 = voters; 55 = method; 61 = removal.
Current Affairs / So What
Why It Matters in Practice
- DevelopmentPresidential elections recur periodically, drawing attention to the Electoral College’s composition.
- Why it mattersThe weighted vote system means the ruling alliance’s strength in states matters as much as in Parliament.
- So whatUnderstanding the college helps you follow presidential election coverage.
Electoral Reform Debates
- DevelopmentReforms to simplify or make the presidential election process more transparent are occasionally debated.
- Why it mattersAny change would alter how the head of state is chosen.
- So whatThe electoral mechanism stays relevant to constitutional debate.
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