“The name of a candidate for the post of President must be proposed by 50 electors and seconded by at least another 50 electors. He has also to deposit a security of ` 15,000 for contesting the election. A person who holds any office of profit is considered ineligible for the President’s election. He has not to be a member of either House of the Parliament or the state legislature, and if he is, his seat in the House would be regarded as vacant on the date on which he enters upon the office as the President (Article 59). Article 60 of the Constitution prescribes the oath or affirmation by the President before he takes up his job, in which he says that he would preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the Law. Article 61 prescribes the procedure for the impeachment of the President. The procedure is as follows:
- “The impeachment proposal can be initiated in either House of the Parliament.
- “The proposal has to be signed by one-fourth of members of that House.
- A 14-day notice has to be given to the President.
- “The House must pass the impeachment proposal by a majority of the two-thirds of the total membership of that House.
- “The passed impeachment proposal bill, then, is sent to the other House which sits, as a court and investigates the charges.
- “The President against whom the investigation is on has the right to appear in the House or/and be represented in the House.
- (vii) If the other House passes the resolution by a majority of two-thirds of the total membership of that House, the President stands removed on the day the resolution is so passed.
In case the office of the President falls vacant due to the absence, death, resignation or removal of the incumbent, the Vice-President acts as the President.
In case the Vice-President is also not available, the duties of the office of the President are discharged by the Chief Justice of India (the Chief Justice M. Hidayatullah acted as the President in July, 1969 when the then acting President V.V. Giri tendered resignation to contest the Presidential election. Fresh elections for the office of the President are to be held within six months of the occurrence of the vacancy (Articles 62, 65). In 2008, the Government of India had increased the salary of the President as ` 1.5 Lakh every month. About ` 22.5 crore budget is spent annually on his/her upkeep. In addition to this, he is entitled to other allowances and privileges including free official residence with free electricity and water, telephone, car facilities and secretarial assistance. On retirement, the President is entitled to a pension of rupees nine lakh per annum.
“The president’s Secretariat is headed by the Secretary, who is assisted by a team of officials, the Secretariat performs tasks relating to constitutional, administrative, hospitality services, petitions on wide-ranging subjects from general public. All matters requiring attention of the President in matters relating to executive powers are received by the Secretariat through the respective ministries. Once the President has assented to the proposed course of actions, the go back to the concerned ministries.
