Nominations For Presidential Election Close

Nominations for the July 14 Presidential election closed yesterday with a total of 64 papers, including that of vice-president K R Narayanan and former Chief Election Commissioner T N Seshan, being filed.

As many as 33 nomination papers were filed yesterday but only the sets filed on behalf of Narayanan, Seshan and three other candidates contained the mandatory 50 proposers and seconders each, the Lok Sabha secretariat said.The UF, the Congress, the BJP and the Samajwadi Party have filed one set each of nomination papers in support of the candidature of Narayanan. The BSP, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the H V P have also announced their support for the candidature of Narayanan.

With this, Narayanan has been assured of over 87 per cent votes in the electoral college comprising 553 members from the Lok Sabha, 233 from the Rajya Sabha and 4,072 members of the legislative assemblies in 25 states and the two Union territories of Delhi and Pondicherry.

Nomination papers in support of Seshan have filed only by MPs belonging to the Shiv Sena and its legislators and certain Independent members from Maharashtra.

While scrutiny of nomination papers would be carried out by the returning officer and Lok Sabha secretary general, S Gopalan today, the last date of withdrawal of candidatures is June 26. Counting of votes, if required, would be held on July 17.