The election to choose India’s next Vice President is being held today. Voting began at 10 a.m. in the new Parliament building and will continue until 5 p.m. The counting of votes will take place in the evening, with results expected later tonight.
The ruling NDA has nominated C. P. Radhakrishnan, Governor of Maharashtra, as its candidate. The Opposition IN-DIA bloc has fielded Justice (Retd.) B. Sudershan Reddy, a former Supreme Court judge. The contest is seen as crucial, though the NDA holds a clear numerical advantage with its strength in Parliament.
The election was necessitated following the sudden resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on July 21 due to health reasons. A total of 781 Members of Parliament form the electoral college for the Vice-Presidential poll. Opposition parties conducted a mock voting session yesterday to avoid invalid ballots, while the BRS announced it will abstain, citing farmers’ distress.
The new Vice President will also serve as the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, making this election an important one for India’s parliamentary functioning.