ARTICLE 55 – ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT

PRERNA FOR IAS

ARTICLE 55 – ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT (INDIAN CONSTITUTION)

1. Uniformity in Representation

Article 55 of the Indian Constitution ensures uniformity in the scale of representation of different States in the election of the President. The objective is to maintain fairness so that every State is represented according to its population while preserving parity between the Union and the States. Since States differ in population and the number of elected legislators, Article 55 prescribes a special method to calculate the value of votes. This system prevents any State from having disproportionate influence and ensures that the President is elected through a balanced and representative Electoral College reflecting India's federal structure.

2. Manner of Determining the Number of Votes

Article 55 lays down the method for determining the value of votes cast by elected Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) and Members of Parliament (MPs). The objective is to maintain equality among States and ensure parity between the Union and the States. The vote value of each MLA depends on the population of the State and the number of elected MLAs. The vote value of each MP is then calculated based on the total value of votes assigned to all MLAs. This carefully designed formula guarantees balanced representation in the Presidential election across the country.

3. Vote Value of an MLA (Clause a)

Under Article 55(2)(a), the value of the vote of each elected Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) is determined by dividing the population of the State by the total number of elected MLAs in that State. The quotient is then divided by 1,000, and only complete multiples of one thousand are considered while calculating the vote value. This method ensures that States with larger populations have proportionately greater representation, while maintaining equality among individual MLAs within the same State. It forms an essential part of the Electoral College system for electing the President.

4. Additional Vote for Remainder (Clause b)