With more than 4,800 voters engaged in the election of the 14th President of India, the Election Commission of India has come up with a series of initiatives that will guarantee a free and fair Presidential election.
Presidential Elections 2017 LIVE: PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah cast their votes in Parliament
Here are three initiatives that the EC has rolled out for the first time:
1) Special pens are being used by the Election Commission of India for voting to elect the 14th President of India.
Electors are not allowed to carry their personal pens to vote and are given the pens procured from Mysore Paints and Varnish Ltd., which supplies indelible ink to mark the fingers of voters. After casting their poll, the electors will have to return the special pen back to the official.
2) The EC has also put up special posters that give out the Dos and Don't for voting.
3) While the Lok Sabha Speaker, an elected member, will be able to vote, the two nominated members of the Anglo-Indian community in the Lower House cannot vote.
Also, the 12 nominated members of the Rajya Sabha with special knowledge or practical experience in respect of such matters as literature, science, art and social service are also ineligible to vote.
Both Ram Nath Kovind, an NDA candidate for the presidential elections, and Opposition nominee Meira Kumar have campaigned in several states to seek the support of the legislators. While Kovind has the support of BJP and its allies, Kumar has the backing of Congress and 17 other Opposition parties
