Constitutional text: There shall be a President of India.
Articles 52, 53 and 54 of the Constitution of India
Articles 52 to 54 in Part V of the Constitution deal with the office of the President of India, the executive power of the Union and the composition of the electoral college that elects the President.
Current position: Article 54 includes, through its constitutional Explanation, the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union territory of Puducherry within the presidential electoral college. Nominated members are not part of that electoral college.
Article 52 - The President of India
Meaning: Article 52 establishes the constitutional office of the President of India. It is the foundational provision in Chapter I of Part V concerning the Union Executive.
Article 53 - Executive power of the Union
Meaning: Article 53 vests the executive power of the Union in the President. That power is exercisable directly or through subordinate officers, but always in accordance with the Constitution. The Article also places the supreme command of the Defence Forces in the President, subject to regulation by law.
Clause (1): The executive power of the Union is vested in the President and is exercised by the President either directly or through officers subordinate to the President in accordance with the Constitution.
Clause (2): The supreme command of the Defence Forces of the Union is vested in the President, and its exercise is regulated by law.
Clause (3): Article 53 does not transfer to the President functions conferred by existing law on a State Government or another authority, and it does not prevent Parliament from conferring functions by law on authorities other than the President.
Article 53 should be read within India's parliamentary constitutional framework, including the provisions governing the Council of Ministers and the conduct of Union government business.
Article 54 - Election of President
Meaning: Article 54 identifies who forms the electoral college for the election of the President. It deals with the composition of the electoral college; the manner of election is principally addressed by Article 55.
The electoral college consists of:
(a) the elected members of both Houses of Parliament; and
(b) the elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States.
For Articles 54 and 55, the constitutional Explanation treats "State" as including the National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union territory of Puducherry.
Accordingly, nominated members of Parliament and nominated members of Legislative Assemblies are not electors for the presidential election. Members of State Legislative Councils are also outside the electoral college. Article 55 provides for proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote and secret ballot.
Articles 52, 53 and 54 at a glance
Article 52 creates the office of President. Article 53 vests the Union's executive power in that office and addresses supreme command of the Defence Forces. Article 54 specifies the elected representatives who constitute the electoral college for choosing the President.
This page is an explanatory legal reference. For authoritative text and election procedure, consult the official Constitution and Election Commission resources linked on this page.