CP Radhakrishnan elected as new Vice President

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BJP-led National Democratic Alliance’s candidate CP Radhakrishnan, who has served as the Governor of several states, was declared winner of the Vice President elections. Polling for the high-stakes Vice-Presidential election commenced earlier in the day, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi casting the first vote. 

It was a straight fight between the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s CP Radhakrishnan and the Opposition’s Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA bloc) nominee B Sudershan Reddy in the vice-presidential election, with the BJP-led alliance holding an edge based on its numerical strength in both Houses. The contest came after Jagdeep Dhankhar unexpectedly resigned as vice-president on July 21, citing the need to “prioritise health care and abide by medical advice.”

What to know about today’s VP election

  • `Polling for the vice-presidential election, in which MPs from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are entitled to vote, was held in the new Parliament building.
  • The election was conducted through a secret ballot, and Members of Parliament were not bound by party whips in casting their votes.
  • There are 39 MPs unaffiliated with either of the two main blocs. Among them, the YSR Congress had declared its support for Radhakrishnan, while AIMIM’s lone MP Asaduddin Owaisi has pledged his vote to Reddy.
  • Union minister Kiren Rijiju had voiced confidence that the majority of the 39 MPs will back Radhakrishnan, describing him as a “nationalist and a very good person”.
  • Meanwhile, two other unaligned parties, the BJD and the BRS, had said they would abstain from voting in the September 9 election. The Shiromani Akali Dal, once a BJP ally, also announced it would boycott the poll, alleging that flood-affected people in Punjab have not received assistance from the state government, the Centre or the Congress.
  • The electoral college for the vice-presidential election consists of 788 members in total – 245 from the Rajya Sabha and 543 from the Lok Sabha. The 12 nominated members of the Rajya Sabha are also entitled to vote.
  • At present, the strength of the electoral college stands at 781, with six vacancies in the Rajya Sabha and one in the Lok Sabha, setting the majority mark at 391. The NDA commands the support of 425 MPs, while the Opposition bloc has 324 on its side.
  • The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), which has 11 MPs and is not aligned with either camp, had announced its support for the NDA candidate. In contrast, the BRS and the BJD have chosen to stay away from the September 9 election for the country’s second-highest constitutional post.
  • The NDA had nominated Maharashtra governor C P Radhakrishnan, an OBC leader from the Goundar-Kongu Vellalar community, as its candidate for the vice-presidential election. The 68-year-old BJP leader, deeply rooted in RSS ideology, is regarded within the party as a soft-spoken and non-controversial figure. He is the only BJP politician from Tamil Nadu to have secured two consecutive Lok Sabha wins, in 1998 and 1999, and has been serving as Maharashtra governor since July 31 2024.

 

FAQs on Election to the Office of Vice-President of India

Who elects the Vice-President of India ?
The Vice-President is elected by an Electoral College, which consists of the members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha (both elected and nominated members).

What is the term of the office of the Vice-President?
The Vice-President holds office for a term of 5 years from the date on which he enters upon his office. However, notwithstanding the expiration of his term, he shall continue to hold office, until his successor enters upon his office. In the case of death, removal or resignation of the Vice-President, the Constitution does not provide any method of succession, apart from a fresh election. However, in such event, the Deputy Chairman can function as the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

When is the election of the Office of Vice-President of India held?
Under the provisions of sub-section (3) of section 4 of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952, the notification under sub-section (1) of section 4 of the said Act calling the election can be issued by the Election commission on or after the sixtieth day before the expiry of the term of office of the outgoing VicePresident. The election schedule shall be so fixed that the Vice-President elect is able to enter upon the office on the day following the expiry of the term of the outgoing Vice-president.

What is the legal framework for the election to the office of Vice President of India?
Election to the office of Vice-President of India is governed by the provisions contained in Articles 64 to 68 of the Constitution of India and the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952 and the Rules made thereunder.

What are the conditions to be fulfilled by a candidate for his nomination to be valid?
Nomination paper of a candidate for the election in the prescribed form (Form 3 appended to the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Rules, 1974) has to be subscribed by at least twenty electors as proposers and at least twenty electors as seconders and has to be presented to the Returning Officer, between 11 AM and 3PM on any day appointed for the purpose, either by the candidate himself or by any of his proposers or seconders.
The Security Deposit for the election of Rs.15000/- should also be deposited either in cash with the Returning Officer or a receipt showing that the amount has been deposited by the candidate or on his behalf in the Reserve Bank of India or in a Government Treasury should be furnished along with the nomination paper.
The candidate is also required to furnish a certified copy of the entry showing his name in the current electoral roll for the Parliamentary Constituency in which the candidate is registered as an elector.

Who is appointed the Returning Officer/Assistant Returning Officer for the election to the Office of Vice-President of India? Who makes such
appointment?
By convention, the Secretary General, Lok Sabha or the Secretary General, Rajya Sabha is appointed as the Returning Officer, by rotation. Two other senior officers of the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha Secretariat are appointed as the Assistant Returning Officers. 

Can a Candidate submit more than one nomination paper? What would be the security deposit to be made by such candidate?
Yes. A candidate can present a maximum of four nomination papers. However, he is required to make only one security deposit in this regard.

How is the value of votes of members of the Electoral College calculated?
Unlike the Presidential election (where the value of votes cast by the Members of Parliament and of the various State Legislative Assemblies is different), the value of every vote cast in the Vice-Presidential election has the same value i.e. 1(one).

Can the results of the election to the Office of Vice-President be challenged ? If so, what is the proper procedure for doing so ?
Yes. An election to the Office of the Vice-President can be called in question by means of an election petition presented to the Supreme Court. Such election petition should be presented by a candidate or ten or more electors joined together, and may be presented at any time after the date of publication of the declaration containing the name of the returned candidate at the election under Section 12 (of the Presidential and Vice Presidential Elections Act, 1952), but not later than 30 days from the date of such publication.

 

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currentaffairs4upsc
Author: currentaffairs4upsc

UPSC

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