Whether it is in the east or in the West, whether it is democracy or aristocracy, politics has always been a male bastion. Even the USA, after 225 years of democracy it still begins to think of amendments to allow a woman to occupy the White House.

In the countries like Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Indonesia women had occupied the highest seat of governance. But in India, from the first President Dr Rajendra Prasad to Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, all are men.

Now after 57 years of becoming a republic, India is now set for a woman president for the first time. Pratibha Patil Shekhawat files his nomination for the election of President of India. She is the consensus candidate of UPA and its allies. If the calculation of the UPA is right then there is not much hurdle for Pratibha to became the first woman President of India.

The third front which the left Parties gave a name ‘Union of defeated Chief Ministers’ wants the second term of Present President Dr Kalam. But the opposition NDA and the ruling UPA do not want a second term for Dr Kalam.

And Dr Kalam himself is not contesting for the second term. This has made 1,06,281 votes controlled by the third front hang in balance at present. Even if the third Front support Bhairon Singh Sekhawat, an independent candidate supported by NDA, Pratibha Patil has more chance to get elected.

The permutation and combination of votes in favour of the candidates are as: (i) Congress led UPA, 5,70,000 votes, (ii) votes controlled by NDA 4,65,000. So if there no split in the vote (as NDA thinks) Pratibha Patil will become the first lady citizen of India in the coming July.

The UPA manage the delicate question of balancing quite well. The alliance has taken Left front into confidence. The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Miss Mayawati was consulted and ultimately a larger consensus evolved. What is found in other groups is not encouraging.

Bhairon Singh Sekhawat became the unofficial candidate of the NDA. It is to look into the contest between the UPA candidate and the NDA candidate and the advantage is definitely for the UPA candidate. Even the Siva Sena, an ally of BJP formally declare its support for UPA candidate.

The Constitution allows election for the President of India through an electorate college. Any bonafide citizen can file his nomination for the Presidentship. But here certain questions do arise.

Does the process of election for the Head of State show the political maturity of the democratic system in India? Or is it turning the seat of the President of India as a political seat. The substance of this writer’s observation is that a consensus candidate without the help of ballot will be a matured democratic system.

Since the process has been setting in motion, one is tempted to look at what had happened last time. Mr Kalam was selected by all sections. Whether it was a consensus or not his name was proposed from the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, the opposition party at that time. But that type of consensus is not happen this time. There is difference between the last time and this time.

What has happened this time is that within the UPA some names were accepted, some were not accepted but ultimately we find that there is a unanimous candidate for the UPA and the NDA is left out of it. And not even consulted.

The NDA supports an independent candidate Bhairon Singh Sekhawat. Now the election is the only means and there began the mud slinging exercise which we have often seen before a parliamentary or an assembly election.

Dr Kalam calls the Rastrapati Bhavan, as people’s Bhavan. He does not want it to be converted into a political Bhavan. Dr Kalam’s statement is a very dignified statement. We need to the point he made. The first point he has made is a very important one. It is about distinguishing the role of President from the Prime Minister.

One is the head of the State and one is the had of the Government. The President should be above political process. For this highest seat of Indian democracy consensus is the best and political process should not meddle in it laterally or even otherwise. The office of the President has a dignity of its own and a President needs to play a definite role in the democratic system of India.

Unlike the British Monarchy, the President of India, is not a mere signing machine or a rubber stamp. Needless to say or to mention, in the Constitution of India, the President has to go by the advice of the Council of Ministers. But he can refer back crucial matters for reconsideration.

This power of the President of India says that the choice of the august office should fall on a person who may be able to guide the Government in power. He being the supreme commander of the armed forces, may have to act under special circumstances especially in times when emergency is declared and the nation is facing internal or external threats.

Should a President be always a political personality or should he be from outside the political party? The debate is left to the readers.

But in short, in the end, the President of India should be an embodiment of honesty, competence, efficiency, selfless service with an unblemished record in his social life.