Why in the News?
Recently, U.S. Presidential election was conducted through the Electoral College system.
US Presidential Elections vs. Indian Presidential Elections
| Parameters | USA  | India  | 
| Composition of electoral members | 
  | Members of an Electoral College consisting of 
 Note: The nominated members of either House of Parliament or the Legislative Assemblies of State are not eligible to be included in the Electoral College.  | 
| Governing Act/Rules | Each state establishes its own election rules, reflecting the U.S.'s decentralized system, where individual states oversee and manage their electoral processes.  | The Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952.  | 
| Nomination Process | Candidates secure party nominations through primaries and caucuses.  | A prospective Presidential candidate should get his/her nomination paper subscribed by at least fifty electors as proposers and at least fifty electors as seconders.  | 
| Election Methods | Most states follow a winner-take-all approach, where the candidate with the majority in a state wins all its electoral votes, except in Maine and Nebraska. 
  | System of Proportional Representation by means of single transferable vote and the voting at such election shall be by secret ballot. 
  | 
| Vote-Counting Process | Significantly prolonged largely due to reliance on paper ballots and the handling of mail-in votes (like our postal ballots).  | Use of EVMs (Electronic Voting Machines).  | 
| Frequency of election | Every 4 years on a fixed schedule.  | Every 5 years (except in exceptional cases).  | 
| Running Mate | The Presidential candidate chooses a Running Mate (Vice Presidential Candidate).  | Separate election takes place for Vice President of India.  |