Which one of the following best describes the electoral system to elect the President of India?

The President of India is elected indirectly by an electoral college consisting of the elected members of both Houses of Parliament and the Legislative Assemblies of the States [4]. According to Article 55(3) of the Constitution of India, this election is conducted in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote (STV). Under this system, voters cast a single ballot but mark their order of preference for candidates. This method aims to remove the defects of territorial representation, ensuring that the elected head of state represents the whole country with the support of both central and state governments [3]. While the 'List System' is another form of proportional representation, India specifically adopts the single transferable vote for the President, Vice-President, and Rajya Sabha members [2].

Sources

1. [3] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: Universal Franchise and India’s Electoral System > Election of the President of India > p. 136
2. [4] https://www.mea.gov.in/Images/pdf1/Part5.pdf
3. [1] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 23: Parliament > First-Past-The-Post System > p. 225
4. [2] Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 23: Parliament > First-Past-The-Post System > p. 225