President of the Republic of India
Presidential Standard
Incumbent: Pratibha Patil
Term length	Five years
Inaugural	Constituent Assembly of India
Formation	26 January 1950
Website	Rashtrapati Bhavan

The President of India or Rashtrapati (Hindi: राष्ट्रपति; a Sanskrit neologism, lit. Pratibha Devisingh Patil (प्रतिभा देवीसिंह पाटिल (born December 19, 1934) is the current President of India, the Term of office refers to the length of time a person (usually a politician serves in a particular office An inauguration is a ceremony of formal Investiture whereby an individual assumes an office or position of authority or power The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to write the Constitution of India, and served as its first Parliament as an independent nation Events 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical A neologism (from Greek neo = "new" + logos = "word" is a word that although devised relatively recently in a specific time period has been "lord of the realm") is the head of state and first citizen of India and the Supreme Commander of the Indian armed forces. Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country A commander-in-chief is the Commander of a nation's Military forces or significant element of those forces Organization and command structure The headquarters of the Indian Armed Forces is in New Delhi, the capital city. In theory, the President possesses considerable power. With few exceptions, most of the authority vested in the President is in practice exercised by the Council of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister. Cabinet ministers Manmohan Singh - Prime Minister and also in-charge of the Ministries/ Departments not specifically allocated to the charge of any Minister The Prime Minister of India is head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive

The President is elected by the elected members of the Parliament of India (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) as well as of the state legislatures (Vidhan Sabhas), and serves for a term of five years. The Parliament of India (or Sansad) is the federal and supreme Legislative body of India. The Lok Sabha (also titled the House of the People, by the Constitution) is the directly elected Lower house of the Parliament of India The Rajya Sabha (meaning the "Council of States" is the Upper house of the Parliament of India. India is a union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation The Vidhan Sabha also known as Legislative Assembly is the lower house of state legislature in India. Incumbents are permitted to stand for re-election. A formula is used to allocate votes so there is a balance between the population of each state and the number of votes assembly members from a state can cast, and to give an equal balance between State Assembly members and National Parliament members. If no candidate receives a majority of votes there is a system by which losing candidates are eliminated from the contest and votes for them transferred to other candidates, until one gains a majority. The Vice-President is elected by a direct vote of all members (elected and nominated) of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The Vice-President of India is the second-highest ranking government official in the Executive branch of the Government of India after the President

The president of India resides in a mansion in New Delhi known as the Rashtrapati Bhavan (which roughly translates as President's Abode). New Delhi (नई दिल्ली ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ نئی دلی is the Capital city of India. Rashtrapati Bhavan ( Sanskrit for President House / Presidential Palace is the Official residence of the President of India, located in New Delhi The presidential retreat is "The Retreat" in Chharabra, Shimla and Rashtrapati Nilayam (President's Place) in Hyderabad. Chharabra is a small village situated approximately 8250 feet (2514 m above sea level 13 km from Shimla, India, on National Highway 22 (Hindustan-Tibet Road Shimla [ʃɪmla] ( Hindi: शिमला originally called Simla, is a city in the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh Rashtrapati Nilayam ( Telugu: రాష్ట్రపతి నిలయం literally the "President's House" is one of the three official retreats of the President

The 12th current President of India is Pratibha Patil, the first woman^[1] to serve in the office, who was sworn in on 25 July 2007. Pratibha Devisingh Patil (प्रतिभा देवीसिंह पाटिल (born December 19, 1934) is the current President of India, the Events 285 - Diocletian appoints Maximian as Caesar, co-ruler Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Qualifications required to become the President 1.2 Election of the President 1.3 Constitutional role 1.4 Powers and functions 1.5 Executive powers 1.6 Judicial powers 1.7 Legislative powers 1.8 Emergency powers 1.8.1 National emergency 1.8.2 State emergency 1.8.3 Financial emergency 1.9 Important presidential interventions 2 Removal of the President 2.1 Succession 2.2 Rasthrapati Bhavan 2.3 Election in 2007 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

History

India This article is part of the series: Politics and government of India

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India became formally independent from the United Kingdom on August 15, 1947. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Politics of India takes place in a framework of a federal parliamentary multi-party representative democratic Republic modelled The Constitution of India ( Hindi: भारतीय़ संविधान see names in other Indian languages) is the supreme law of India. The Fundamental Rights in India enshrined in the Part III of the Constitution of India guarantee civil liberties such that all Indians can lead their lives in peace In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. The Vice-President of India is the second-highest ranking government official in the Executive branch of the Government of India after the President The Prime Minister of India is head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive Cabinet ministers Manmohan Singh - Prime Minister and also in-charge of the Ministries/ Departments not specifically allocated to the charge of any Minister The Parliament of India (or Sansad) is the federal and supreme Legislative body of India. The Rajya Sabha (meaning the "Council of States" is the Upper house of the Parliament of India. The Vice-President of India is the second-highest ranking government official in the Executive branch of the Government of India after the President The Lok Sabha (also titled the House of the People, by the Constitution) is the directly elected Lower house of the Parliament of India The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is the presiding officer of the upper house of Parliament of India. The Supreme Court of India is the highest court of the land as established by Part V Chapter IV of the Constitution of India. The term Chief Justice of India refers to the highest judge in the Supreme Court of India. India 's judicial system is made up of the Supreme Court of India at the apex of the hierarchy for the entire country and twenty-one High Courts at the The District Courts of India are presided over by a Judge. They administer justice in India at a district level Elections in India are more than a process of voting someone to rule the nation The Election Commission of India is an autonomous quasi-judiciary constitutional body of India. The Chief Election Commissioner heads the Election Commission of India, a body constitutionally empowered to conduct free and fair elections to the national and state legislatures India has a Multi-party system with a predominance of small regional parties India has a Multi-party system with a predominance of small regional parties India has a Multi-party system with a predominance of small regional parties BamfronttripuraJPG|thumb|right| West Bengal Left Front Committee meeting for solidarity with Tripura]] The Left Front ( Bengali: বাম ফ্রন্ট The National Democratic Alliance ( NDA) is a coalition of political parties in India. United Progressive Alliance ( UPA) is the present ruling coalition of political parties heading the Government of India. India is a union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The Governors and Lieutenant-Governors of the States and territories of India have similar powers and functions at the state level as that of the President of The Vidhan Sabha also known as Legislative Assembly is the lower house of state legislature in India. The Vidhan Parishad also known as Legislative Council forms a part of the state legislatures of India. The Panchayat is a South Asian Political system. ‘Panchayat’ literally means assembly ( yat) of five ( panch) wise and respected elders chosen Information on politics by country is available for every Country, including both De jure and De facto independent The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. However, the country remained a Commonwealth realm, and continued in a personal union relationship with the other countries who each regarded the same person as their monarch and Head of State. A Commonwealth realm is any one of 16 sovereign states within the Commonwealth of Nations that each have Elizabeth II as their respective Monarch A personal union is the combination by which two different States are governed by the same Monarch, while their boundaries their laws and their interests remain distinct Head of state is the generic term for the individual or collective office that serves as the chief public representative of a Monarchic or Republican Nation-state The Monarch of India was represented by the Governor-General of India, now appointed by the Monarch of the United Kingdom upon the advice of the Prime Minister of India, instead of the British government. The term governor general or governor-general refers to a vice-regal representative of a Monarch in an independent realm or a major colonial circonscription

This was a temporary measure, however, as the continued existence of a shared monarch in the Indian political system was not considered appropriate for a truly sovereign nation. The first Governor General of India, Lord Mountbatten, was also the last British Viceroy of India before independence. Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, He soon handed power over to C. Rajagopalachari, who became the first, last and only ethnically Indian governor general. Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari (Tamil சக்ரவர்த்தி ராஜகோபாலாச்சாரி ( December 10, 1878 - December 25, In the meantime, the Constituent Assembly led by Dr. Rajendra Prasad . Dr Rajendra Prasad (डा॰ राजेन्द्र प्रसाद ( December 3, 1884 &ndash February 28, 1963) was the The drafting was finished on November 26, 1949, and the Constitution was formally adopted on January 26, 1950—a date of symbolic importance as it was on January 26, 1930, that the Congress Party had first issued the call for complete independence from Britain. Events 43 BC - The Second Triumvirate alliance of Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus ("Octavian" later "Caesar Augustus" Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France. Year 1950 ( MCML) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1340 - King Edward III of England is declared King of France. Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. When the constitution took effect, the Governor General and King were replaced by an elected president, with Rajendra Prasad serving as the first President of India. Dr Rajendra Prasad (डा॰ राजेन्द्र प्रसाद ( December 3, 1884 &ndash February 28, 1963) was the

The move ended India's status as a Commonwealth realm, but the republic remained in the Commonwealth of Nations. Nehru argued that a nation should be allowed to stay in the Commonwealth simply by observing the British monarch as "Head of the Commonwealth" but not necessarily head of state. Jawaharlal Nehru (जवाहरलाल नेहरू ʤəʋäɦəɾläl nɛɦɾu (14 November 1889 27 May 1964 was a major political leader of the Congress Party This was a ground-breaking decision that would set a precedent in the second half of the twentieth century for many other former British colonies to remain in the Commonwealth after becoming newly-independent republics.

Qualifications required to become the President

A citizen of India who is of 35 years of age or above may be a Presidential candidate. The Presidential candidate should be qualified to become a member of the Lok Sabha and should not hold any office of profit under the government. The Lok Sabha (also titled the House of the People, by the Constitution) is the directly elected Lower house of the Parliament of India Certain office-holders, however, are permitted to stand as Presidential candidates. These are:

• The current Vice President. The Vice-President of India is the second-highest ranking government official in the Executive branch of the Government of India after the President
• The Governor of any State. A governor is a governing official usually the executive (at least nominally to different degrees also politically and administratively of a non-sovereign level of government India is a union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories.
• A Minister of the Union or of any State.

In the event that the Vice President, a State Governor or a Minister is elected President, they are considered to have vacated their previous office on the date they begin serving as President.

Election of the President

Whenever the office becomes vacant, by an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both houses of the Parliament and the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies (Vidhan Sabha). An electoral college is a set of many electors who are empowered to elect a candidate to a particular Office. The Parliament of India (or Sansad) is the federal and supreme Legislative body of India. The election uses the Single Transferable Vote method of proportional representation. Single transferable vote (STV is a preferential Voting system designed to minimize Wasted votes and provide Proportional representation Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation or PR is a category of electoral formula aiming at a close match between the percentage of votes Voting takes place by secret ballot. The secret ballot is a voting method in which a Voter 's choices are confidential

Each elector casts a different number of votes. The general principle is that the total number of votes cast by Members of Parliament equals the total number of votes cast by State Legislators. Also, legislators from larger states cast more votes than those from smaller states. Finally, the number of legislators in a state matters; if a state has few legislators, then each legislator has relatively more votes; if a state has many legislators, then each legislator has fewer votes.

The actual calculation for votes cast by a particular state is calculated by dividing the state's population by 1000, which is divided again by the number of legislators from the State voting in the electoral college. This number is the number of votes per legislator in a given state. For votes cast by those in Parliament, the total number of votes cast by all state legislators is divided by the number of members of both Houses of Parliament. This is the number of votes per member of either house of Parliament.

The President is elected for a five year term. The salary of the President is Rs. 100,000 per month and their emoluments cannot be reduced during their term of office. ^[2]

Constitutional role

Article 52 of the Indian Constitution states "There shall be a President of India". Article 53(1)vests in the President the executive powers of the Union which are exercised by him (??) either directly or through officers subordinate to him in accordance with the Constitution. Although the Constitution explicitly says that the president is the executive head of the state, real executive power is exercised by the Council of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister. In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. Cabinet ministers Manmohan Singh - Prime Minister and also in-charge of the Ministries/ Departments not specifically allocated to the charge of any Minister The Prime Minister of India is head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive This is inferred from Article 74 of the Indian Constitution, providing for a ". . . council of ministers to aid and advise the President who shall, in exercise of his functions, act in accordance with such advice".

The president of India swears before entering the office of the president that he/she shall protect, preserve and defend the Constitution (Article 60), which provides for an executive head of state who is nominal or ceremonial. The powers of the President are intended to be similar to those of the British Crown, in that they would 'reign and not rule'. TalkCommonewalth realm.--> The monarchy

Powers and functions

The President of India enjoys the following powers:

Executive powers

The Constitution vests in the President of India all the executive powers of the Central Government. The President's Bodyguard is an elite Household cavalry Regiment of the Indian Army. The Constitution of India ( Hindi: भारतीय़ संविधान see names in other Indian languages) is the supreme law of India. The President appoints as Prime Minister the person most likely to command the support of the majority in the Lok Sabha (usually the leader of the majority party or coalition). The Prime Minister of India is head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive The Lok Sabha (also titled the House of the People, by the Constitution) is the directly elected Lower house of the Parliament of India The President then appoints the other members of the Council of Ministers, distributing portfolios to them on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The Council of Ministers remains in power during the 'pleasure' of the President. In practice, however, the Council of Ministers must retain the support of the Lok Sabha. If a President were to dismiss the Council of Ministers on his or her own initiative, it might trigger a constitutional crisis. A constitutional crisis is a severe breakdown in the orderly operation of Government. Thus, in practice, the Council of Ministers cannot be dismissed as long as it commands the support of a majority in the Lok Sabha.

The President is responsible for making a wide variety of appointments. These include:

• Governors of States
• The Chief Justice and other judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts
• The Attorney General
• The Comptroller and Auditor General
• The Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners
• The Chairman and other Members of the Union Public Service Commission
• Ambassadors and High Commissioners to other countries. India is a union of states comprising twenty-eight states and seven union territories. The term Chief Justice of India refers to the highest judge in the Supreme Court of India. The Supreme Court of India is the highest court of the land as established by Part V Chapter IV of the Constitution of India. India 's judicial system is made up of the Supreme Court of India at the apex of the hierarchy for the entire country and twenty-one High Courts at the

The President also receives the credentials of Ambassadors and High Commissioners from other countries.

The President is the de jure Commander in Chief of the Indian Armed Forces. Organization and command structure The headquarters of the Indian Armed Forces is in New Delhi, the capital city.

The President of India can grant a pardon to or reduce the sentence of a convicted person, particularly in cases involving punishment of death. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Commutation of sentence involves the reduction of legal penalties, especially in terms of imprisonment.

The decisions involving pardoning and other rights by the president are independent of the opinion of the Prime Minister or the Lok Sabha majority. In most other cases, however, the President exercises his or her executive powers on the advice of the Prime Minister.

Judicial powers

The president appoints the Chief Justice of the Union Judiciary and other judges on the advice of the Chief Justice. In practice, these judges are actually selected by the Union cabinet. The President dismisses the judges if and only if the two Houses of the Parliament pass resolutions to that effect by two-thirds majority of the members present.

If they consider a question of law or a matter of public importance has arisen they can ask for the advisory opinion of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court of India is the highest court of the land as established by Part V Chapter IV of the Constitution of India. They may or may not accept that opinion.

Legislative powers

The President summons both houses of the Parliament and prorogues them. The Parliament of India (or Sansad) is the federal and supreme Legislative body of India. He or she can even dissolve the Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha (also titled the House of the People, by the Constitution) is the directly elected Lower house of the Parliament of India These powers are formal, and by convention, the President uses these powers according to the advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister of India is head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive

They inaugurate the Parliament by addressing it after the general elections and also at the beginning of the first session each year. Their address on these occasions is generally meant to outline the new policies of the government. This address is essentially identical in nature to a Speech from the Throne.

A bill that the Parliament has passed, can become a law only after the President gives their assent to it. They can return a bill to the Parliament, if it is not a money bill, for reconsideration. However, if the Parliament sends it back to them for the second time, they are obliged to assent to it.

When the Parliament is not in session and the government considers it necessary to have a law, then the President can promulgate ordinances. These ordinances are submitted to the Parliament at its next session. They remain valid for no more than six weeks from the date the Parliament is convened unless approved by it earlier.

Emergency powers

The President can declare three types of emergencies: national, state and financial.

National emergency

National emergency is caused by war, external aggression or armed rebellion in the whole of India or a part of its territory. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Such an emergency was declared in India in 1962 (Indo-China war), 1965 (Indo-Pakistan war), 1975 and 1977 (declared by Indira Gandhi on account of "internal disturbance"). Indira Priyadarshini Gandhi ( Indirā Priyadarśinī Gāndhī) ( Née: Nehru (19 November 1917 - 31 October 1984 was the Prime Minister of the

Under Article 352 of the India Constitution the President can declare such an emergency only on the basis of a written request by the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister of India is head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive Such a proclamation must be approved by the Parliament within one month. Such an emergency can be imposed for six months. It can be extended by six months by repeated parliamentary approval.

In such an emergency, Fundamental Rights of Indian citizens can be suspended. The Fundamental Rights in India enshrined in the Part III of the Constitution of India guarantee civil liberties such that all Indians can lead their lives in peace The six freedoms under Right to Freedom are automatically suspended. The Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy and Fundamental Duties are sections of the Constitution of India that prescribe the fundamental However, the Right to Life and Personal Liberty cannot be suspended.

The Parliament can make laws on the 66 subjects of the State List (which contains subjects on which the state governments can make laws). Also, all money bills are referred to the Parliament for its approval. The term of the Lok Sabha can be extended by a period of up to one year, but not so as to extend the term of Parliament beyond six months after the end of the declared emergency. The Lok Sabha (also titled the House of the People, by the Constitution) is the directly elected Lower house of the Parliament of India

State emergency

State emergency, also known as President's rule, is declared due to failure of constitutional machinery in a state. President's rule (or Central Rule) is the term used in India when a state government is dissolved and is placed under direct federal rule

If the President is satisfied, on the basis of the report of the Governor of the concerned state or from other sources that the governance in a state cannot be carried out according to the provisions in the Constitution, he/she can declare a state of emergency in the state. Such an emergency must be approved by the Parliament within a period of six months.

Under Article 356 of the Indian Constitution, it can be imposed from six months to a maximum period of three years with repeated parliamentary approval every six months. If the emergency needs to be extended for more than three years, this can be achieved by a constitutional amendment, as has happened in Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. The Constitution of India ( Hindi: भारतीय़ संविधान see names in other Indian languages) is the supreme law of India. Punjab (ਪੰਜਾਬ पंजाब pəɲdʒaːb is a state in northwest India. ( Dogri: जम्मू और कश्मीर Urdu: جموں و کشمیر is the northernmost state of India.

During such an emergency, the President can take over the entire work of the executive, and the Governor administers the state in the name of the President. The Legislative Assembly can be dissolved or may remain in suspended animation. The Parliament makes laws on the 66 subjects of the state list (see National emergency for explanation). The President of India or Rashtrapati ( Hindi: राष्ट्रपति a Sanskrit Neologism, lit All money bills have to be referred to the Parliament for approval.

On October 9, 2007, the President's rule has been imposed on the south Indian State of Karnataka making it the latest state where the emergency has been imposed.

Financial emergency

If the President is satisfied that there is an economic situation in which the financial stability or credit of India is threatened, he/she can proclaim financial emergency as per the Constitutional Article 360. Such an emergency must be approved by the Parliament within two months. It has never been declared. On a previous occasion, the financial stability or credit of India has indeed been threatened, but a financial emergency was avoided through the selling off of India's gold reserves.

A state of financial emergency remains in force indefinitely until revoked by the President.

In case of a financial emergency, the President can reduce the salaries of all government officials, including judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts. The Supreme Court of India is the highest court of the land as established by Part V Chapter IV of the Constitution of India. India 's judicial system is made up of the Supreme Court of India at the apex of the hierarchy for the entire country and twenty-one High Courts at the All money bills passed by the State legislatures are submitted to the President for his approval. They can direct the state to observe certain principles (economy measures) relating to financial matters.

Important presidential interventions

The President's role as defender of the Constitution, and their powers as Head of State, especially in relation to those exercised by the Prime Minister as leader of the government, have changed over time. In particular, Presidents have made a number of interventions into government and lawmaking, which have established and challenged some conventions concerning Presidential intervention. Some of the more noteworthy are documented here.

In 1979, the then Prime Minister, Charan Singh, did not enjoy a Parliamentary majority. Chaudhary Charan Singh (23 December 1902 &ndash 29 May 1987 was the seventh Prime Minister of the Republic of India serving from 28 July 1979 until 14 January 1980 He responded to this by simply not advising the President to summon Parliament. Since then, Presidents have been more diligent in directing incoming Prime Ministers to convene Parliament and prove their majority within reasonable deadlines (2-3 weeks). In the interim period, the Prime Ministers are generally restrained from making policy decisions.

The constitution gives the President the power to return a bill unsigned but it circumscribes the power to send it back only once for reconsideration. If the Parliament sends back the bill with or without changes, the President is duty bound to sign it. However, deliberately or inadvertently, the constitution does not set a time-limit in which the President is obliged to approve the bill, so they may withhold assent indefinitely. This has come to be known in legal and constitutional circles as the "Pocket Veto", and has been used on a number of occasions against controversial Bills. A pocket veto is a legislative maneuver in American federal Lawmaking that allows the President to indirectly Veto a bill

• In the mid-1980s, President Zail Singh withheld assent to a Bill passed by Parliament that gave sweeping powers to the State to intercept mail.  Giani Zail Singh (ਜ਼ੈਲ ਸਿੰਘ May 5 1916 – December 25 1994) was an Indian politician and member of the This was considered by the President to be an encroachment on citizens' freedom of speech and liberty as guaranteed by the Constitution.

• In early 1990, President Venkataraman withheld assent to a Bill passed by the outgoing Parliament that gave pension benefits to themselves. Ramaswamy Venkataraman (ராமசுவாமி ெவங்கட்ராமன் (born December 4, 1910) was the 8th President of the Republic This was interpreted by the President to be self-aggrandisement.

Since the nineties, Parliamentary elections have generally not resulted in a single party or group of parties having a distinct majority. In such cases, Presidents have used their discretion and directed Prime Ministerial aspirants to establish their credentials before being invited to form the government. Typically, the aspirants have been asked to produce letters from various party leaders, with the signatures of all the MPs who are pledging support to their candidature. This is in addition to the requirement that a Prime Minister prove he has the support of the Lok Sabha (by a vote on the floor of the House) within weeks of being sworn in to office.

In the late nineties, President Narayanan introduced the important practice of explaining to the nation (by means of Rashtrapati Bhavan communiqués) the thinking that led to the various decisions he took while exercising his discretionary powers; this has led to openness and transparency in the functioning of the President. Kocheril Raman Narayanan ( Malayalam: കോച്ചേരില്‍ രാമന്‍ നാരായണന്‍ 27 October 1920 &mdash

In mid-2006, President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam sent back a controversial bill regarding enlarging the scope of the offices of profit, which disqualify a person from being a member of parliament. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (அவுல் பகீர் ஜைனுலாப்தீன் அப்துல் கலாம் born October 15 1931 Tamil Nadu The opposition combine, the NDA, hailed the move. The UPA chose to send the bill back to the president without any changes, and after 30 days A. P. J. Abdul Kalam gave the assent. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (அவுல் பகீர் ஜைனுலாப்தீன் அப்துல் கலாம் born October 15 1931 Tamil Nadu

Removal of the President

The President may be removed before the expiry of his/her term through impeachment. Impeachment is the first of two stages in a specific process for a legislative body to forcibly remove a Government official A President can be removed for violation of the Constitution. The Constitution of India ( Hindi: भारतीय़ संविधान see names in other Indian languages) is the supreme law of India.

The process may start in either of the two houses of the Parliament. The Parliament of India (or Sansad) is the federal and supreme Legislative body of India. The house initiates the process by levelling the charges against the President. The charges are contained in a notice which has to be signed by at least one quarter of the total members of that house. The notice is sent up to the President and 14 days later, it is taken up for consideration.

A resolution to impeach the President has to be passed by a two-third majority of the total members of the originating house. It is then sent to the other house. The other house investigates the charges that have been made. During this process, the President has the right to defend himself/herself through an authorised counsel. A counsel or a counsellor gives advice more particularly in legal matters If the second house also approves the charges made by two-third majority again, the President stands impeached and is deemed to have vacated his/her office from the date when such a resolution stands passed. Other than impeachment, no other penalty can be given to the President for the violation of the Constitution.

No President has faced impeachment proceedings. Hence, the above provisions have never been tested.

Succession

In the event of a vacancy created for the President's post due to death, resignation, removal, etc. , Article 65 of the Indian Constitution says that the Vice President will have to discharge his duties. The Constitution of India ( Hindi: भारतीय़ संविधान see names in other Indian languages) is the supreme law of India. The Vice-President of India is the second-highest ranking government official in the Executive branch of the Government of India after the President The Vice President reverts to his office when a new President is elected and enters upon his office. When the President is unable to act owing to his absence, illness or any other cause, the Vice President discharges the President's functions for a temporary period until the President resumes his duties.

When the Vice President acts as, or discharges the functions of the President, he has all the powers and immunities of the President and is entitled to the same emoluments as the President.

Parliament has by an enactment made provision for the discharge of the functions of the President when vacancies occur in the offices of the President and of the Vice President simultaneously, owing to removal, death, resignation of the incumbent or otherwise. The Parliament of India (or Sansad) is the federal and supreme Legislative body of India. In such an eventuality, the Chief Justice, or in his absence, the senior most Judge of the Supreme Court of India available discharges the functions of the President until a newly elected President enters upon his office or a newly elected Vice President begins to act as President under Article 65 of the Constitution, whichever is the earlier. The term Chief Justice of India refers to the highest judge in the Supreme Court of India. The Supreme Court of India is the highest court of the land as established by Part V Chapter IV of the Constitution of India.

Rasthrapati Bhavan

Main article: Rashtrapati Bhavan

The Presidential House or Rashtrapati Bhavan, is located in Prakash Vir Shastri Avenue, where its main entrance, Gate 35, is located. Rashtrapati Bhavan ( Sanskrit for President House / Presidential Palace is the Official residence of the President of India, located in New Delhi Rashtrapati Bhavan ( Sanskrit for President House / Presidential Palace is the Official residence of the President of India, located in New Delhi Prakash Vir Shastri Avenue is an urban street road in New Delhi, known for spanning the majority of the city and classically housing the city Members of Parliament The home is in the urban district of New Delhi and was recently renamed from North Avenue in honor of the Member of Parliament who was killed during his tenure here as a representative of the state of Uttar Pradesh. New Delhi (नई दिल्ली ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ نئی دلی is the Capital city of India. A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Uttar Pradesh (उत्तर प्रदेश اتر پردیش pronounced, Translation: Northern Province) referred to as '''U ^[3]

Election in 2007

Main article: Indian presidential election, 2007

The 13^th Indian Presidential Election was held on 19 July 2007. The Election Commission of India held indirect 13th presidential elections of India on 19 July 2007. Events 711 - Muslim forces under Tariq ibn Ziyad defeat the Visigoths led by their king Roderic. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Pratibha Patil, former governor of state of Rajasthan, a nominee of the ruling United Progressive Alliance, won the elections with a huge majority. Pratibha Devisingh Patil (प्रतिभा देवीसिंह पाटिल (born December 19, 1934) is the current President of India, the Rājasthān ( Devanāgarī: राजस्थान raːdʒəst̪ʰaːn is the largest state of the Republic of India in terms of area United Progressive Alliance ( UPA) is the present ruling coalition of political parties heading the Government of India. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, current Vice-President of India, also filed his nomination as an independent candidate. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat (born October 23, 1923) is a former Vice-President of India. The Vice-President of India is the second-highest ranking government official in the Executive branch of the Government of India after the President Shekhawat has received backing by National Democratic Alliance, a major opposition front. The National Democratic Alliance ( NDA) is a coalition of political parties in India. The outgoing president Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam initially said that he would contest for the top post only if his win was certain, but later opted out of the race. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (அவுல் பகீர் ஜைனுலாப்தீன் அப்துல் கலாம் born October 15 1931 Tamil Nadu Pratibha Patil became the first female President of India when she took the oath of office on July 25, 2007. Pratibha Devisingh Patil (प्रतिभा देवीसिंह पाटिल (born December 19, 1934) is the current President of India, the

See also

• List of Presidents of India
• Rashtrapati Award

References

External links

• The President of India (Official site)
• Former Presidents of India (Official site)

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