Simone Lawson
The President of India is the head of state of the Republic of India and the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. The position was established when India became a republic in 1950, with the adoption of its constitution. The President is the first citizen of India and is responsible for defending and protecting the Constitution of India. While the President has executive powers, these are de facto exercised by the Prime Minister, who heads the Council of Ministers. The President is indirectly elected by an electoral college and holds office for a five-year term.
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What You'll Learn
The President of India is the head of state
The President is the constitutional head of the Indian state and is responsible for defending and protecting the Constitution of India and its rule of law. The President is bound by the constitution to act on the advice of the Council of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister, and to enforce the decrees passed by the Supreme Court. While the President is the nominal head of the executive, the Prime Minister and their Council of Ministers hold the real executive power.
The President of India has diverse executive, legislative, and judicial powers. They can appoint the Chief Justice and the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, and they have the power to pardon sentences by a court martial. The President also constitutes a Finance Commission every five years to recommend the distribution of revenues between the Centre and the States.
The President is also the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. They play a pivotal role in Indian polity and are a symbol of solidarity, unity, and integrity of the nation.
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The President is the first citizen of India
The President of India is the head of state of the Republic of India and the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. The president is also referred to as the first citizen of India. The office of the president was created when India became a republic on 26 January 1950 when its constitution came into force. There have been 15 presidents of India since, with three acting presidents who have been in office for short periods. The current president, Droupadi Murmu, is the 15th and second female president. She is also the first tribal person to hold the office.
The president is indirectly elected by an electoral college comprising both houses of the Parliament of India and the legislative assemblies of each of India's states and territories, who are all directly elected by the citizens. The president can remain in office for a tenure of five years, as stated by Article 56, Part V, of the Constitution of India. In the case of an early termination of the president's term, the vice president assumes office until a new president is elected.
The president is the common head of all independent constitutional entities and is responsible for upholding, protecting, and defending the Constitution of India. The president's role is largely ceremonial, and the de facto executive power is exercised by the prime minister. The president's powers include giving assent to bills, appointing key officials, and overseeing emergency provisions when required. The president also wields legislative powers, such as summoning or proroguing parliament and dissolving the Lok Sabha. They also have judicial powers, such as appointing the Chief Justice and the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts.
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The President is the supreme commander of the Indian Armed Forces
The President of India is the head of state and the first citizen of the country. The President is also the supreme commander of the Indian Armed Forces. The office of the President was created when India became a republic and its constitution came into force on 26 January 1950. There have been 15 presidents since, with Droupadi Murmu being the current president, who took office on 25 July 2022.
The President is a part of the Union Executive and is elected by the Electoral College, which is composed of elected members of the parliament houses, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, and members of the state legislative assemblies. The President holds office for a tenure of five years, as stated by Article 56, Part V of the Constitution.
Despite being the constitutional head of the Indian State, the President is only a nominal head of the executive, with the real executive power being vested in the Council of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister. According to Article 74(1) of the Constitution, the President is bound to exercise their functions in accordance with the advice of the Council. However, the President does play a significant role in Indian polity through their diverse executive, legislative, and judicial powers. For instance, the President constitutes a Finance Commission every five years to recommend the distribution of revenues between the Centre and the States. They also appoint the Chief Justice and the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts.
The President is the foremost defender of the Constitution and is responsible for protecting and defending the Constitution of India and its rule of law. Any action taken by the executive or legislature entities of the Constitution shall become law only after the President's assent, and the President shall not accept any unconstitutional actions.
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![Historic Framed Print, [Secretary of Interior Harold Ickes handing first constitution issued under the Indian Reorganization Act to delegates of the Confederated Tribes of the Flathead Indian Reservation], 17-7/8" x 21-7/8"](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41Qh+w+fkGL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
The President is elected by an electoral college
The President of India is the head of state of the Republic of India and the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. The President is referred to as the country's first citizen and is responsible for defending and protecting the Constitution of India and its rule of law. The President is elected by an electoral college, which is a method of indirect election. The electoral college is composed of elected members of the Parliament of India and the legislative assemblies of the states and union territories of India. This includes the upper house of the Parliament of India, the Rajya Sabha, and the lower house, the Lok Sabha. It also includes members of the state legislative assemblies.
The number and value of votes are based on the population in 1971, as per the 42nd and 84th Amendments, with the intention to encourage family planning programs in the states by ensuring that states are not penalised for lowering their population growth and development. The value of an MP's vote is calculated by dividing the total value of all MLAs' votes by the number of MPs. The President may remain in office for a tenure of five years, as stated by article 56, part V, of the Constitution of India.
The role of the President is largely ceremonial, and executive powers are de facto exercised by the prime minister. However, the President is the foremost, most empowered, and prompt defender of the constitution, who has pre-emptive power for ensuring constitutionality in the actions of the executive or legislature. The President can exercise their powers directly or by subordinate authority, though all of the executive powers vested in the President are, in practice, exercised by the prime minister heading the Council of Ministers. The President is bound by the constitution to act on the advice of the council and to enforce the decrees passed by the Supreme Court.
The only condition for the initiation of impeachment of the Indian President is the violation of the constitution. The current President of India is Droupadi Murmu, who took office on 25 July 2022, becoming the second woman and the first tribal person to hold the office.
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The President's role is largely ceremonial
The President of India is the head of state of the Republic of India and the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces. The President is also referred to as the first citizen of India. The President's role is largely ceremonial, with executive powers being exercised by the Prime Minister, who heads the Council of Ministers. The President is bound by the constitution to act on the advice of the council and to enforce the decrees passed by the Supreme Court.
The President of India occupies a pivotal position in the democratic framework of the country. The President is the highest constitutional authority and is responsible for defending and protecting the Constitution of India and its rule of law. The President's role includes diverse executive, legislative, and judicial powers. For example, the President appoints the Chief Justice and the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts. The President also has the power to seek advice from the Supreme Court on any question of law or fact, although this advice is not binding.
The President is elected by an Electoral College composed of elected members of the parliament houses, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, and members of the state legislative assemblies. The President's term of office is five years, as stated in the Constitution of India. The impeachment of the Indian President can only be initiated in the event of a "violation of the constitution."
The President's role as a ceremonial device is evident in the quote by Bhimrao Ambedkar, chairman of the drafting committee of the Constituent Assembly of India: "His place in the administration is that of a ceremonial device on a seal by which the nation's decisions are made known." The President's role is thus largely symbolic, with the real executive power vested in the Council of Ministers led by the Prime Minister.
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Frequently asked questions
The President of India is the head of state of the Republic of India.
The President is the first citizen of the country and the supreme commander of the Indian Armed Forces. The President represents India in international forums and affairs, and is responsible for sending and receiving diplomats. The President also constitutes a Finance Commission every five years to recommend the distribution of taxes between the centre and the states.
The President has the power to declare war or conclude peace, and can proclaim an emergency in the country if they are satisfied that a grave emergency exists. The President can also summon, prorogue and dissolve the Lok Sabha, and make recommendations for introducing financial and money bills.
The President is indirectly elected by an electoral college comprising both houses of the Parliament of India and the legislative assemblies of each of India's states and territories.
Yes, the President can be impeached for 'violation of the constitution'.
