Temperature in the political corridors has gone up with BJP announcing Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the upcoming vice-presidential elections.
While the numbers show that it may be a cakewalk for Radhakrishnan, the BJP has also reached out to the Opposition members for no contest against their candidate.
Talking to reporters in New Delhi on Monday, BJP President and Union Minister JP Nadda said that the party hopes that the next V-P is elected ‘unanimously.’
Shortly after his name was announced on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X lauding the nomination.
Hailing the Maharashtra Governor for his extensive political career, PM Modi said, “In his long years in public life, Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji has distinguished himself with his dedication, humility, and intellect. During the various positions he has held, he has always focused on community service and empowering the marginalized. He has done extensive work at the grassroots in Tamil Nadu. I am glad that the NDA family has decided to nominate him as the Vice Presidential candidate of our alliance.”
The election for the Vice-President will be held on September 9, with August 21 being the last date to file the nominations.
India has well-defined rules for electing both the President as well as the Vice-President. The detailed rules have been codified under the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952 (No.31 of 1952). Subsequently, all rules were formulated under The Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Rules, 1974.
While the Central government plays an important role in the election for these key posts, the major difference between the poll procedures of these polls is the composition of the electoral college for both posts.
Apart from that, there are rules regarding issuing whip and how nominations are filed.
Here are the key differences between the polls for the President and the Vice-President:
| Provision/Aspect | President of India | Vice-President of India |
| Electoral College | Elected members of Parliament + Legislative Assemblies of States & UTs (Delhi, Pondicherry) | Members of both Houses of Parliament |
| Voting Value (by Member) | MLA vote value: based on State population; MP gets equalized value | Each MP has one vote; all votes are equal |
| Voting System | Proportional representation, single transferable vote, secret ballot | Proportional representation, single transferable vote, secret ballot |
| Eligibility | Citizen of India, ≥35 years old, eligible for Lok Sabha, not holding office of profit | Citizen of India, ≥35 years old, eligible for Rajya Sabha, not holding office of profit |
| Term Length | 5 years from entering office | 5 years from entering office |
| Disqualification Upon Election | Must vacate seat in Parliament/State Legislature upon assuming office | Must vacate seat in Parliament upon assuming office |
| Filing of Nominations | 50 electors (proposers/seconders), specific requirements | 20 proposers + 20 seconders, max 4 nominations, special deposit required |
| Poll Location | Parliament House and State Assembly premises | Parliament House (specific room) |
| Special Voting Tools | Secret Ballot; specific system | Secret Ballot; special pen provided for voting |
| Whip/Directive by Political Parties | Political parties may issue whip | No whip allowed by political parties |
| Eco-Friendly Mandate | No specific mention | Eco-friendly and biodegradable materials only |
| Vacancy and Election Timing | Election held before term expiry or as soon as possible upon vacancy | Election held as soon as possible after vacancy |
| Winning criteria | As per the 2022 presidential polls data, there were a total of 4796 electors in the list of Electoral College. | Electoral College comprises of members of both Houses. Current strength is 782. This means the winning criteria will be 392 |
The polls for the Vice-President have been necessitated after the incumbent, Jagdeep Dhankhar, announced a sudden resignation on July 21 last month. Dhankhar had cited health concerns for his decision, which sent shockwaves through political circles.
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