Ram Nath Kovind, who has been elected as President of India, got 7,02,044 votes, while his opponent, the joint Opposition candidate, Meira Kumar, got 3,67,314 out of a total of 10,69,358.
Live updates
5.30 p.m.: BJP chief Amit Shah hailed as “historic” the election of Ram Nath Kovind as the next president and said it is a “victory for the poor, downtrodden and marginalised and their aspirations". In a series of tweets after Kovind was declared victorious in the presidential poll, Shah expressed confidence that he would distinguish himself as an exceptional president of the country.
“Congratulations to Shri Ram Nath Kovind ji for the emphatic victory in the 2017 presidential elections. His victory is truly historic. “It is a victory for the poor, downtrodden and marginalised and their aspirations,” Mr. Shah said.
5.25 p.m.: "I never aspired to be the president; my win is a message to those discharging their duties with integrity," Mr. Kovind said.
5.20 p.m.: The President-elect Ram Nath Kovind said "I thank all those who supported me from across the country." He also said "I feel very emotional today and I will represent all those struggling to make a living."
5.15 p.m.: My best wishes to Kovind ji, it is upon him to uphold the Constitution in letter and spirit in these challenging times, says Meira Kumar. She said "Want to thank opposition leaders including Congress president Sonia Gandhi ji; my fight for secularism to continue."
4.22 p.m.: Secretary General Lok Sabha Anoop Mishra declares Ram Nath Kovind elected as President of India
4.20 p.m.: Ram Nath Kovind set to win President polls with huge margin, crosses half way mark. Official announcement of victory soon. NDA candidate Ram Nath Kovind got 702044 while his opponent Meira Kumar got 367314 out of 1069358.
4.14 p.m.: Our Correspondent Mahesh Langa reports that 11 Cong MLAs in Gujarat voted for NDA candidate in Presidential poll.
4.01 p.m.: Tentative vote percentage: NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind 65.35 per cent; opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar 34.35 per cent.
4.00 p.m.: State-wise results: Uttar Pradesh: Mr. Kovind 335, Ms. Kumar 65, 2 Rejected.
3.45 p.m.: State-wise results: Delhi: Mr. Kovind 6, Ms. Kumar 55, 6 rejected; Puducherry Mr. Kovind 10, Ms. Kumar 19, 1 rejected; Nagaland: Mr. Kovind 56, Ms. Kumar 1, 2 rejected; Rajasthan: Mr. Kovind 166, Ms. Kumar 34.
3.15 p.m.: Goa: Mr. Kovind 25 votes, Ms. Kumar 11 votes. Maharashtra: Mr. Kovind 208, Ms. Kumar 77, 2 rejected; Uttarakhand: Mr. Kovind 59, Ms. Kumar 11
3.10 p.m.: State-wise details of voting: Punjab: Mr. Kovind 18, Ms. Kumar 95, 3 rejected; Orissa: Mr. Kovind 127, Ms. Kumar 16, 2 rejected; Gujarat: Mr. Kovind 132, Ms. Kumar 49; Haryana: Mr. Kovind 73 votes, Ms. Kumar 16 votes; MPs: Mr. Kovind 522 votes valued at 369,576, Ms. Kumar 225 votes valued at 159,300, 21 votes invalid.
3.05 p.m.: Mahesh Langa report says more than 6 Congress MLAs in Gujarat reportedly voted for NDA's Ram Nath Kovind in presidential polls.
2.45 p.m.: NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind gets 1,389 votes with value of 479,585 while opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar gets 576 votes with value of 204,594 after counting in Parliament House and 11 states.
2.20 p.m.: After first round of counting: State-wise results: Arunachal Pradesh: Mr. Kovind (448), Ms. Kumar (24); Assam: Mr. Kovind (448), Ms. Kumar (24); Andhra Pradesh: Mr. Kovind (27189), Ms. Kumar (0); Bihar: Mr. Kovind (22490), Ms. Kumar (8867).
1.45 p.m.: Ram Nath Kovind gets 60,683 votes, MeiraKumar 22,941 votes in Assam, Arunachal, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar, says Returning Officer Anoop Mishra.
1.00 p.m.: The Opposition nominee Meira Kumar on Thursday said she contested the election for the country’s 14th President with “confidence”. “I have fought this elections with faith, belief and confidence in the ideology. I also believe in inner voice of conscience,” Ms. Kumar told the media. She was replying to questions of media persons just after the counting of votes cast in the July 17 presidential poll began in Parliament to decide her fate against NDA’s candidate Ram Nath Kovind, who has a clear edge.
11:40 am Since there are only two contenders for the country's top post, the candidate with maximum vote as first preference will be declared the winner.
11:20 am Ballots from States are being counted now. It will happen state-wise in alphabetical order. Ballots from Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam being counted now.
11:00 a.m. Counting begins in the presence of presidential nominees Ram Nath Kovind and Meira Kumar.
10:40 a.m. It is advantage Ram Nath Kovind with BJP, the largest party in parliament as well as the party that rules most of the States, supporting him. Regional parties such as AIADMK, JD(U), BJD, TRS and TDP have also extended their support to Mr. Kovind.
10:30 a.m. Here's what you need to know about the two presidential candidates
10:20 a.m. Here is a quick recap on how the vote of a legislator is calculated
10:05 a.m. The winner will be sworn in to office by the Chief Justice of India, in a time honoured ritual in the Central Hall of Parliament on July 25.
In between these fixed points of rituals of state, is a world of preparation, protocol and politics.
9:55 a.m. Out of total of 771 MPs entitled to vote (4 vacant and 1 disqualified), 768 caste their votes i.e. 99.61%. Likewise out of total 4,109 MLAs entitled to vote (10 vacant and 1 disqualified), 4,083 cast their votes i.e. 99.37%, the Election Commission has said.
9:45 a.m. The value of vote of an MP is 708 while that of an assembly member varies from State to State depending on the size of its population.
The total value of votes of the presidential electoral college is 10,98,903, and the NDA candidate is slated to get over 63 per cent votes.
9:30 a.m. In Monday’s polling, several states registered 100 per cent polling. The overall poll percentage was pegged at 99.41 per cent. A total of 776 members of Parliament and 4,120 legislators were eligible to cast votes.
9:20 a.m. Officials said the seals of ballot boxes will be opened on Thursday in the presence of representatives of the two candidates — former Bihar Governor Kovind and former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar — and the observers of the Election Commission.
9:15 a.m. Lok Sabha Secretary General Anoop Mishra is the Returning Officer for the election, and will issue the certificate to the winning candidate.
9:00 a.m. Polling to choose the successor to President Pranab Mukherjee, who demits office on July 24, was held simultaneously at 32 polling stations — one in Parliament House and one each in 29 state assemblies and two union territories with assemblies.
