Mail News Service
New Delhi, July 5 : After the last date of withdrawal of candidature on the 4th of July, 2012, the following two are the contesting candidates for the Presidential Election, 2012:-
Purno Agitok Sangma of H.No. 35, Walbakgre, Tura, West Garo Hills, Meghalaya and Pranab Mukherjee H.No.60/2/97,Kabi Bharati Sarani (Lake Road), Kolkata (West Bengal) The Polling for the Presidential Election, 2012 will take place on Thursday, the 19th of July, 2012 in Room No. 63, Parliament House, New Delhi and in the State Capitals. The polling will commence at 10.00 A.M. and close at 5.00 P.M. on that day.
The Electoral College for election to the Office of the President of India consists of the elected Members of both Houses of Parliament and the elected Members of the Legislative Assemblies of all State including the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Puducherry. The Members of Parliament normally exercise their vote in Parliament House, New Delhi and Members of State Legislative Assemblies including the Members of Legislative Assemblies of the NCT of Delhi and the Union territory of Puducherry in their respective State Capitals at the places notified by the Election Commission of India in this behalf. However, a Member of Parliament may vote in a State Capital/Union Territory Capital if he/she obtained the prior permission of the Election Commission of India. Similarly, a Member of any State Legislative Assembly who has obtained the prior permission of the Election Commission, may, exercise his/her vote in Room No. 63, Parliament House, New Delhi.
The polling arrangements in Parliament House are being made by Dr. V.K. Agnihotri, the Returning Officer for the Presidential Election, 2012, and Secretary-General, Rajya Sabha.Asserting that the presidential election is above party lines, former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangma on Thursday condemned the Congress Party’s decision to suspend tribal leader Arvind Netam, calling it ‘unjustified and unconstitutional’.
“After all, presidential election is above political party. Pranab Mukherjee is not a Congress candidate. He has resigned from the Congress Party. There is no symbol in his election. So, Mukherjee is not contesting under symbol of ‘hand’,” said Sangma.
“It (presidential election) is above party. Therefore, taking any action taken against anybody who has got nothing to do in the voting process and electoral process is absolutely condemnable,” he added.
Sangma, who is contesting the presidential election on grounds that it was time for a tribal to occupy the top constitutional post, also informed that the central executive committee of the Tribal Forum of India would be meeting today to discuss the anti-tribal policy action of the ruling Congress Party.
“Today at 5: 30, a Tribal Forum of India central executive committee will meet to discuss the anti-tribal policy action of the Congress Party by expelling Arvind Netam, who is from the Congress Party. Arvind Netam is the president of Tribal Forum of India. He is not a member of parliament any more. He is not a member of the electoral college,” said Sangma.
“Therefore, the question of taking any action by the Congress against Arvind Netam is absolutely unjustified, unconstitutional and we from the Tribal Forum condemn it,” he added.
Congress Party had last month suspended Netam for backing Sangma in the presidential election. Congress Party was stung by Netam, who strongly advocated Sangma’s candidature after he filed his nomination.
The announcement came after Netam jointly addressed a press conference with Sangma and made a strong plea for support to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -backed candidate.
Sangma, who is being backed by the BJP, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the AIADMK, will lock horns with UPA presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee in the race for Raisina Hill.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/pranab-sangma-candidature-for-president-confirmed/
