Indian Polity Notes: The President of India (Complete Study Material)
Welcome, students! If you are preparing for SSC, Railway, State PCS, or UPSC exams, Indian Polity is a high-scoring subject. Today, we are going to cover one of the most important and frequently asked topics: The President of India.
We will break down complex constitutional rules into simple, easy-to-remember points. Let’s dive in!
1. Introduction to the President of India
The President is the Head of the Indian State, the First Citizen of India, and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. India has a parliamentary form of government, which means the President is the nominal executive (titular head or De Jure head), while the Prime Minister is the real executive (De Facto head).
The provisions regarding the President are given in Part V of the Constitution, from Articles 52 to 78 (The Union Executive).
2. Important Articles Related to the President (Quick Glance)
Memorizing these articles is crucial for direct match-the-following questions in SSC and PCS exams.
- Article 52: There shall be a President of India.
- Article 53: Executive power of the Union is vested in the President.
- Article 54: Election of the President (Electoral College).
- Article 55: Manner of election of the President.
- Article 56: Term of office of the President (5 years).
- Article 58: Qualifications for election as President.
- Article 60: Oath or affirmation by the President.
- Article 61: Procedure for Impeachment of the President.
- Article 72: Pardoning powers of the President.
- Article 123: Ordinance-making power of the President.
- Article 143: Power of the President to consult the Supreme Court.
3. Qualifications, Oath, and Term
Qualifications (Article 58):
To be eligible to become the President, a candidate must:
- Be a citizen of India.
- Have completed 35 years of age.
- Be qualified for election as a member of the Lok Sabha.
- Not hold any office of profit under the Union or State government.
Oath (Article 60):
The oath of office to the President is administered by the Chief Justice of India (CJI). In the absence of the CJI, the senior-most judge of the Supreme Court administers it.
Term (Article 56):
The President holds office for a term of 5 years. However, they can resign at any time by addressing the resignation letter to the Vice-President of India.
4. Election of the President (Article 54 & 55)
The President is elected indirectly by an Electoral College. This is a favorite area for examiners!
Who VOTES in the Presidential Election?
- Elected members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
- Elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States.
- Elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the Union Territories of Delhi and Puducherry (Added by the 70th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992).
Voting Method (Article 55): The election is held according to the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote, and voting is by secret ballot.
5. Impeachment of the President (Article 61)
Impeachment is the formal process of removing the President from office.
- Ground for Impeachment: “Violation of the Constitution” (Note: The Constitution does not define this phrase).
- Initiation: The impeachment charges can be initiated in either House of Parliament (Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha).
- Process: 1. A 14-day advance notice must be given, signed by 1/4th members of the initiating House.2. The resolution must be passed by a majority of not less than 2/3rd of the total membership of that House.3. The other House investigates the charges. If it also passes the resolution with a 2/3rd majority, the President is removed.
6. Important Powers of the President
- Pardoning Power (Article 72): The President can pardon, commute, remit, respite, or reprieve a sentence. The President is the only authority who can pardon a death sentence or a court-martial sentence.
- Ordinance Making Power (Article 123): The President can issue an ordinance when Parliament is not in session. Its maximum life is 6 months and 6 weeks.
- Veto Powers: The President has three types of Vetoes:
- Absolute Veto: Withholding assent to a bill.
- Suspensive Veto: Returning a bill for reconsideration (Cannot be used for Money Bills).
- Pocket Veto: Taking no action on a bill indefinitely. (President Giani Zail Singh used it in 1986 for the Indian Post Office Bill).
- Emergency Powers: * National Emergency (Article 352)
- President’s Rule / State Emergency (Article 356 & 365)
- Financial Emergency (Article 360)
🚨 Common Exam Traps & Confusing Points (Don’t fall for these!)
Trap 1: Nominated Members in Elections vs. Impeachment
- Election: Nominated members of Parliament do NOT vote in the Presidential election.
- Impeachment: Nominated members of Parliament DO participate in the impeachment of the President.
Trap 2: State MLAs in Impeachment
- Election: Elected MLAs of states vote in the election.
- Impeachment: MLAs of states do NOT participate in the impeachment process at all.
Trap 3: Resignation Letter
- The President gives their resignation to the Vice-President, NOT the Chief Justice of India (the CJI only administers the oath).
Trap 4: Qualification Requirement
- A candidate must be qualified to be a member of the Lok Sabha (Not Rajya Sabha).
📈 Previous Year Exam Relevance
- SSC CGL/CHSL: Direct articles are asked (e.g., “Article 61 is related to?”). Questions about minimum age (35 years) and who administers the oath are highly repeated.
- Railway NTPC/Group D: Simple one-liners like “Who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces?” or “Maximum validity of an ordinance.”
- State PCS & UPSC: Statement-based questions are common. For example, “Which of the following participate in the Electoral College but not in impeachment?” (Answer: State MLAs).
📝 Practice MCQs
Q1. Who among the following does NOT participate in the election of the President of India?
A) Elected members of Lok Sabha
B) Elected members of Rajya Sabha
C) Elected members of State Legislative Assemblies
D) Nominated members of Rajya Sabha
Answer: D
Explanation: The electoral college consists only of elected members. Nominated members do not vote in the President’s election.
Q2. Under which Article can the President of India be impeached for violation of the Constitution?
A) Article 52
B) Article 61
C) Article 72
D) Article 123
Answer: B
Explanation: Article 61 deals with the procedure for the impeachment of the President. Art 72 is pardoning power, and Art 123 is ordinance making.
Q3. To whom does the President of India address his resignation?
A) Chief Justice of India
B) Prime Minister
C) Speaker of Lok Sabha
D) Vice-President of India
Answer: D
Explanation: According to Article 56, the President addresses his resignation to the Vice-President.
Q4. What is the minimum age required to become the President of India?
A) 25 years
B) 30 years
C) 35 years
D) No minimum age
Answer: C
Explanation: Article 58 states that a candidate must have completed 35 years of age to be eligible for the office of the President.
Q5. The elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of Delhi and Puducherry were included in the Electoral College by which Amendment?
A) 42nd Amendment
B) 44th Amendment
C) 70th Amendment
D) 73rd Amendment
Answer: C
Explanation: The 70th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992 added Delhi and Puducherry MLAs to the Electoral College for the Presidential election.
📌 Quick Revision Summary
- Articles: 52 to 78 (Part V).
- Age Limit: Minimum 35 years.
- Oath: Given by the Chief Justice of India.
- Resignation: Given to the Vice-President.
- Electoral College: Elected MPs + Elected MLAs (including Delhi & Puducherry).
- Impeachment: Article 61, requires a 2/3rd majority of total membership in both houses.
- Pardon: Article 72.
- Ordinance: Article 123 (Maximum life: 6 months & 6 weeks).