A total of 4,896 elected representatives will vote on Monday to select the next president of India. In contention for the top post are Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance’s Ram Nath Kovind and Opposition’s pick Meira Kumar. The results of the presidential election will be declared on July 20.

Of the total voters, 4,120 are MLAs and 776 are elected MPs. The election is being held through a secret ballot at 32 polling stations. The voting will be held between 10 am and 5 pm. Votes will only be considered valid if the special violet ink is used by the representatives.

As many as 41 Lok Sabha members and Rajya Sabha members have been allowed to cast their presidential vote from state legislative Assemblies, while five MLAs will vote from Parliament.

Parties’ support

The numbers are stacked against Kumar as almost 40 parties have pledged their support for NDA’s candidate Kovind. These parties include regional ones like the factions of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, YSR Congress, Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), Biju Janata Dal, Telangana Rashtra Samiti and independent representatives.

Besides the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal, Opposition pick Kumar has been promised support from the Aam Aadmi Party, Samajwadi Party, All India Trinamool…

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