Presidential Polls 2022 Live: Shiv Sena backs Droupadi Murmu, SP stays with Yashwant Sinha as voting continues

13:19 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Polling in Uttarakhand underway

Voting for the Presidential election in which NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu is pitted against joint opposition pick Yashwant Sinha began at the state Assembly here on Monday at 10 am.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Assembly Speaker Ritu Khanduri, cabinet ministers Subodh Uniyal, Premchand Aggrawal and Rekha Arya were among the first to cast their votes.

Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Yashpal Arya and Congress MLA from Haridwar (rural) Anupama Rawat also voted in the morning.

The ruling BJP has 47 members in the Uttarakhand Assembly, while the Congress has 19, and the Bahujan Samaj Party and Independents two each.

Uttarakhand has five Lok Sabha and three Rajya Sabha seats — all represented by the BJP in Parliament.

PTI

12:56 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

SBSP chief OP Rajbhar, UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak express support for Droupadi Murmu

"The route towards Delhi goes via Lucknow. Droupadi Murmu is winning the polls with a massive number of votes," SBSP chief OP Rajbhar told ANI on Monday.

UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak also stated that everyone is supporting the NDA candidate. "Droupadi Murmu will win the Presidential polls with historic numbers," he said.

Lucknow | Droupadi Murmu will win the Presidential polls with historic numbers. All representatives have decided to make a tribal woman President. Everyone is supporting her: UP Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak after casting his vote at UP Assembly pic.twitter.com/zPxvRF9iQ1— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) July 18, 2022

12:46 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Amid rumours, Madhya Pradesh Cong MLAS deny cross-voting

Amid rumour of cross voting, Congress MLAs claimed to cast their votes on the party line. Tribal leader and Congress MLA Heeralal Alawa said the result will reveal the truth. Congress cIaims that independent MLA Kedar Dawar is on their side.

12:38 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Vote should be cast for a suitable candidate for the highest post, says Shiv Sena's Aaditya Thackeray

Reiterating Shiv Sena's decision to support NDA's candidate Droupadi Murmu in the Presidential poll, Aaditya Thackeray said, "We believe that Presidential polls are different from any political election. It's the highest post and vote should be cast for a suitable candidate. So, we took this decision."

Maharashtra | In today's Presidential election, Shiv Sena is supporting Draupadi Murmu. We believe that Presidential polls are different from any political election. It's the highest post & vote should be cast for a suitable candidate. So, we took this decision: Aaditya Thackeray pic.twitter.com/oAY2K14lKh— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2022

12:31 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Delhi CM Kejriwal casts his vote

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal casts his vote for the Presidential election, at Delhi Assembly. pic.twitter.com/rikMFXanJ5— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2022

12:13 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan casts his vote

Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan casts his vote for the presidential elections. He had met Yashwant Sinha in Thiruvananthapuram.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan casts his vote for the Presidential election, at the State Assembly in Thiruvananthapuram. pic.twitter.com/7NxGRMIn81— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2022

12:04 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Goa CM Sawant casts vote, says NDA nominee Murmu will get maximum votes

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday cast his vote for the election of the country's next president.

After casting his vote in the state Assembly premises, Sawant told reporters that he has requested all the MLAs to vote for the National Democratic Alliance's candidate Droupadi Murmu in the presidential election.

“I am confident that we (NDA nominee) will get the maximum votes,” said the CM, who was among the early voters.

BJP MLA Dr Deviya Rane after casting her vote said, “We had an interaction with Murmu recently. It is an honour to vote for her.”

The BJP has 20 legislators in the 40-member Goa Assembly. It also has the support of two MLAs of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and three Independents.

The opposition has fielded former Union minister Yashwant Sinha against Murmu.

Goa Congress president Amit Patkar told reporters that the opposition stands united and will vote for Sinha.

The Congress has 11 MLAs, the Aam Aadmi Party has two legislators, while the Goa Forward Party and the Revolutionary Goans have one member each in the House.

PTI

Goa CM Pramod Sawant casts his vote in the election being held for the post of President of India in Goa assembly

"100% of people will cast votes for the Presidential elections from Goa. I am sure all votes will be cast for our candidate (Droupadi Murmu) from my state," he says pic.twitter.com/xOFyK8hAke— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2022

11:55 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis cast vote

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and other lawmakers from the state cast their vote here on Monday to elect India's 15th president. 

BJP MLA Ashish Shelar claimed that the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) presidential poll Droupadi Murmu will get "record-breaking" votes from Maharashtra.

Voting started at 10 am in the Vidhan Bhawan's central hall here and will continue till 5 pm.        

Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Ajit Pawar (NCP) and Congress's Balasaheb Thorat were also among the early voters.

Pune BJP MLA Mukta Tilak, who is suffering from a serious illness, also arrived in the Vidhan Bhawan to cast her vote.

The opposition has nominated former Union minister Yashwant Sinha against Murmu.

PTI

Mumbai | Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde votes in the 16th Presidential election pic.twitter.com/0YFeVTA3wD— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2022

11:51 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Anurag Thakur casts his vote for the 16th President of India

Koo App

WATCH: Union I&B Minister @ianuragthakur casts his vote for the 16th President of India #PresidentialElection

View attached media content

- Prasar Bharati News Services (@pbns_india) 18 July 2022

11:44 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

PM Modi’s statement at the start of Monsoon Session of Parliament

Koo App

We always consider the House to be an efficient medium of communication, where there is open-hearted dialogue, debate, criticism & well-analysis so that positive contribution can be made to policy and decisions PM Narendra Modi’s statement at the start of #MonsoonSession of Parliament

View attached media content

- PIB India (@PIB_India) 18 July 2022

11:39 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

MK Stalin heads to Tamil Nadu Assembly to cast vote after being discharged from hospital

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday voted in the Presidential election, just after he was discharged from a hospital here following recovery from COVID-19.

Stalin was the first to cast his vote in the Secretariat complex and he arrived at the venue at 10 AM, when polling began.

11:27 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Former PM Manmohan Singh casts his vote at Parliament House

With polling in the Presidential polls underway, former prime minister and Congress MP Manmohan Singh arrived at the Parliament House to cast his vote.

Former Prime Minister of India and Congress MP Manmohan Singh, after casting his vote in the election being held for the post of President of India in Parliament pic.twitter.com/pm4Bihza1Z— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2022

11:19 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Madhya Praddesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan casts his vote

Casting his vote on Monday morning at the state Assembly in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told ANI, "Our sister from the tribal community will now become the President. MLAs in MP are voting for her.”

Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan casts his vote for the Presidential election, at the State Assembly in Bhopal. pic.twitter.com/ssobmZ1ocm— ANI MP/CG/Rajasthan (@ANI_MP_CG_RJ) July 18, 2022

11:13 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

‘To save democracy’ Yashwant Sinha's message as votes are cast to elect India's 15th president

Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha on Monday urged the lawmakers to vote for him - “to save democracy”

“This election is highly crucial to save democracy. I am hoping that all lawmakers - MPs and MLAs - will vote to save democracy,” Sinha told reporters, shortly after voting began. “It's not a mere political battle but a fight against government agencies also," he added, referring to claims by the opposition parties that central agencies were being used by the ruling BJP against rivals.

11:02 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Electoral fate of Droupadi Murmu, Yashwant Sinha to be stored in ballot boxes, not EVMs

In Monday's election Droupadi Murmu of the NDA and Yashwant Sinha, backed by the opposition are the two candidates.

The EVMs, officials explained, are not designed to register this system of voting. The EVM is an aggregator of votes and under the system of proportional representation, the machine will have to compute votes based on preference and it requires an altogether different technology.

Read More

10:52 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy casts his vote

The ruling YSR Congress Party in Andhra Pradesh had earlier declared its support for NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu.

Amaravati | Andhra Pradesh CM YS Jagan Mohan Reddy casts his vote in the 16th Presidential election pic.twitter.com/027VSqZbtT— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2022

10:45 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Voting begins at Delhi Assembly; Deputy CM Sisodia among early voters

Voting began for the presidential elections amid tight security arrangements on the Delhi Assembly premises on Monday.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs Shiv Charan Goel and Bhavna Gaur, and BJP's Mohan Singh Bisht were early voters.

NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu is pitted against joint Opposition pick Yashwant Sinha in the much-awaited poll to elect the next President of India. 

Polling began amid tight security arrangements at 10 am and it will conclude at 5 pm.

Nearly 4,800 elected MPs and MLAs are entitled to vote. 

PTI

10:42 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Voting underway at Telangana Assembly

MLAs arrived at the Telangana Assembly in Hyderabad to cast their votes in the Presidential polls.

Hyderabad | MLAs arrive to cast their votes for the Presidential elections in the Telangana assembly pic.twitter.com/ibZZNLHF3d— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2022

10:31 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin casts vote in Chennai

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin cast his vote in Chennai to elect the new President. The polling began at 10 am on Monday.

#WATCH Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin casts vote in 16th Presidential election, in Chennai pic.twitter.com/fmFb9sdw49— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2022

10:26 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

PM Modi casts his vote to elect new President

Prime Minister Narendra Modi cast his vote on Monday in Delhi to elect a new President. BJP chief and Rajya Sabha member J P Nadda voted next.

#WATCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi votes to elect new President, in Delhi#PresidentialElection pic.twitter.com/pm9fstL46T— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2022

10:17 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Cross-voting fears in Maharashtra Congress, NCP

As lawmakers from Maharashtra gear up to vote on Monday to elect the country's next president, there are concerns among the opposition parties over the possibility of cross-voting.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress - the two main opposition parties in Maharashtra - have already held meetings with their legislators to ensure there is no any cross-voting in favour of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's candidate Droupadi Murmu.

The opposition is concerned as Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday claimed that Murmu would get the support of 200 MLAs from the state.

Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha is the candidate of the Opposition.

Notably, cross-voting was held during the Rajya Sabha elections and the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls last month.

PTI

10:14 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

The special markers to be used for Presidential polls

The EC had announced that it would be providing particular pens to electors to mark their vote on ballot papers. The pen will be given to the electors in the polling station by the designated official when the ballot paper is handed over.

Read More

10:13 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath votes to elect new President, in Lucknow

#WATCH Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath casts vote to elect new President, in Lucknow#PresidentialElection pic.twitter.com/VDJ4WZIPp7— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) July 18, 2022

10:07 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

How does India choose its President?

India will vote for its 15th president today, with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate Droupadi Murmu having a clear edge over Opposition’s Yashwant Sinha.

Read More

10:01 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Arrangements made for free and fair elections, says Rajya Sabha secretary general

PC Mody, Secretary General of the Rajya Sabha, on Monday told reporters that all arrangements have been made for a free and fair election of the President of India.

The polling will commence at 10 am and conclude at 5pm. All arrangements have been made for free & fair elections. Security arrangements in and around the Parliament & particularly the venue of the poll have been strengthened: PC Mody, Secy Gen, Rajya Sabha on Presidential poll pic.twitter.com/WkId5Onu2x— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2022

10:00 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Watch | Bengal BJP MLAs leave for the state Assembly to cast their votes

The BJP MLAs left from The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat on Monday morning to cast their votes in the Presidential elections at the state Assembly.

#WATCH | West Bengal BJP MLAs leave from The Westin Kolkata Rajarhat for the State Assembly.

Voting for the Presidential Election will be held from 10 am to 5 pm today. pic.twitter.com/KFBSYfbTQK— ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2022

09:56 (IST)

Presidential Elections Live

Voting for the presidential elections to begin at 10 am

The polling will take place between 10 am and 5 pm in Parliament House and state legislative assemblies. The counting of votes will take place on 21 July while the next President will take oath on 25 July.