E-Paper
Radhakrishnan vs Sudershan Reddy: India to elect next Vice President today
Maharashtra governor CP Radhakrishnan is NDA's vice-presidential election candidate and former SC judge Sudershan Reddy is the opposition bloc's nominee.
The stage is set for the election of the 15th Vice President as the members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha will decide between CP Radhakrishnan of the NDA bloc and B Sudershan Reddy of the INDIA bloc, two months after the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar.
The fate of the two leaders will be decided in a high-stakes contest on Tuesday. The result will be declared on the same day, i.e. on Tuesday.
Follow Vice President Elections LIVE
The VP election is not expected to yield any surprising results as the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, backing CP Radhakrishnan, has the numbers in its favour. However, INDIA bloc, along with several other opposition parties, are preparing to give a top contest to the NDA candidate.
Here is all you need to know about the Vice-Presidential election:
Who are the candidates?
While the ruling NDA has nominated Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan for the second-highest constitutional post, the opposition bloc is supporting former Supreme Court judge Sudershan Reddy.
Radhakrishnan, a BJP veteran, has been a two-time MP from Coimbatore during the tenure of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He also served as the Governor of Jharkhand before taking over as Maharashtra Governor in July 2024.
Sudershan Reddy, a veteran jurist known for several landmark judgments, served as a Supreme Court judge from 2007 till his retirement in 2011. He was also the first Lokayukta of Goa, but stepped down within seven months, citing personal reasons. He had also declared Salwa Judum, appointed by the Chhattisgarh government, as unconstitutional.
When and where will the election take place?
The Vice-Presidential election will be held on September 9, Tuesday, in Room No. F-101, Vasudha, Parliament House.
The polling will begin at 10 am and go till 5 pm. The result will be declared following the conclusion of the election on the same day.
Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody will be the returning officer for the vice-presidential election.
Who votes?
The Vice President will be elected by an electoral college, which also elects the President of India. The electoral college consists of 233 elected members of the Rajya Sabha, 12 nominated members of the Rajya Sabha and 543 elected members of the Lok Sabha. The electoral comprises a total of 788 members from both houses.
However, there are currently 781 members, due to the vacancy of six seats in the Rajya Sabha and one in the Lok Sabha.
In this election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the first voter to cast his vote. The prime minister will cast his vote along with Punjab and Haryana MPs, sources told PTI.
Who is voting for whom?
The NDA-backed candidate has the support of several parties, including those in the ruling alliance, such as JD(U), TDP, Shiv Sena, NCP, and others.
The INDIA bloc's candidate has the support of opposition parties, including Congress, DMK, JMM, RJD, Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena, TMC and the Left parties. Others like Arvind Kejriwal's AAP and Owaisi's AIMIM have also announced their support for Reddy.
Then there are others who have decided to abstain from voting, including Bharat Rashtra Samithi, Odisha’s Biju Janata Dal and the Shiromani Akali Dal.
What do numbers say?
The victory mark for the Vice President election is at 391, the quorum being 781.
The ruling BJP currently enjoys the support of 293 MPs in the Lok Sabha and 129 members in the Rajya Sabha. The NDA, with support from 422 members, comfortably crosses that halfway mark.
Perks and salaries
The Vice President of India, despite being the second-highest Constitutional office in the country, does not enjoy the benefits of a regular salary.
However, the V-P draws his salary for his role as the ex officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. He is also entitled to benefits and remuneration for the role of the Rajya Sabha chairman.
The Rajya Sabha chairman is entitled to a salary of ₹4 lakh per month. The vice president also enjoys several perks and allowances, like free accommodation, medical care, train and air travel, a landline connection, mobile phone service, personal security and staff.
