New Delhi: Everyone knows that Droupadi Murmu, from Odisha’s Mayurbhanj, is the BJP-led NDA alliance’s candidate for the upcoming Presidential election.
It is also common knowledge that senior Trinamool Congress leader Yashwant Sinha is the Opposition parties’ choice for India’s next President.
But there are others who have filed for the post. Any idea how many contenders are there in the race to be President Ram Nath Kovind’s successor?
There are 70 aspirants, besides Murmu and Sinha, according to data available with Rajya Sabha secretariat officials, Hindustan Times reported.
Yes, nomination papers of as many as 72 candidates are currently being scrutinised by officials in charge of the Presidential election to be held on July 18.
According to a senior Rajya Sabha official, 115 candidates had submitted their nomination paper, but 28 of those were rejected immediately due to lapses in their forms.
Section 5B (5) of Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952, states that the nomination paper of a Presidential candidate must be endorsed by at least 50 electors as proposers, and at least another 50 electors as seconders. An elector can subscribe to only one nomination paper of a candidate, as either a proposer or seconder.
The law also says that a candidate can file up to four nomination papers. Every candidate has to provide a security deposit of Rs 15,000 each.
