Former prime minister and Congress MP Manmohan Singh on Monday reached the parliament in a wheelchair to cast his vote for the presidential election 2022. The pictures and videos of Singh arriving are being widely shared on social media.
Singh, 89, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were reportedly among 350 electors to cast their vote in the first 1.5 hours of the presidential poll.
Former Prime Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Manmohan Singh casts his vote for the Presidential Election. #PresidentialElection2022
pic.twitter.com/7V5MarGZc6— Central Bureau of Communication,FieldOfficeDodaJ&K (@CBCDoda) July 18, 2022
Four officials helped Singh, 89, get up from his wheelchair and cast his vote in the ballot box.
Former Prime Minister and Congress MP Dr Manmohan Singh cast his vote for the Presidential election, today at the Parliament. pic.twitter.com/H6jl3O7hlb
– ANI (@ANI) July 18, 2022
Singh had taken a leave of absence for the entire Winter Session of Parliament last year on health grounds. The veteran Congress leader and two-time former prime minister was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi on October 13 last year after he complained of weakness following a fever.
He was discharged from the hospital on October 31.
Voting for the presidential election in which NDA candidate Droupadi Murmu is pitted against joint opposition pick Yashwant Sinha began on Monday morning with Prime Minister Modi being the first to cast his vote. The voting process would conclude at 5 pm.
Voting was also underway in various state assemblies for the presidential poll and the early voters in the states included Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. Nearly 4,800 elected MPs and MLAs are entitled to vote in the election, but nominated MPs and MLAs, and members of Legislative Councils are not.
Besides Room number 63 on the first floor of Parliament House, which has been converted into a polling station, voting is simultaneously taking place at various state assemblies. In the national capital, voting is also underway at the Delhi legislative assembly.
Counting of votes will be held on July 21. The system of secret ballot is followed in the presidential election, and parties cannot issue whips to their MPs and MLAs with regard to voting.
Read all the Latest News, Breaking Newswatch Top Videos and Live TV here.