Yogi, Parrikar get EC nod to vote in their respective states

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and his Goa counterpart Manohar Parrikar have received permission from the election commission to cast their votes at the legislative assemblies of their respective states during Monday’s presidential elections.

Parrikar, a former defence minister and Aadityanath are yet to resign from the Lok Sabha after taking over as CMs.

Apart from them 14 Rajya Sabha members, including 12 from the West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress, and 41 Lok Sabha members too have been exempted from casting votes in Parliament by the commission, which conducts the election for the country’s highest office.

BJP president Amit Shah, a legislator from Gujarat’s Naranpura, is among the five MLAs who have been allowed to vote at the polling station set up in the Parliament, poll panel sources said.

The electoral college for the presidential election consists of all elected members of both the lower and upper houses of the Parliament and state legislative assemblies. Nominated members of the Rajya Sabha are not permitted to vote.

The poll panel will provide electors a unique serial numbered pen with violet ink to mark their votes. Ballots marked with any other ink will be invalid.

BJP nominee Ram Nath Kovind, will contest for the top post against Meira Kumar, a former Lok Sabha Speaker who is the Opposition’s choice.

The counting of votes will take place in Parliament on July 20 and the new President will be sworn in on July 25.