Like the president, the vice-president is chosen indirectly – that is by the representatives of the people. Members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, including the nominated ones, are eligible to vote
Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu: ANI
The Election Commission on Tuesday issued a notification for the 6 August poll to elect the next vice-president, beginning the process of candidates filing nomination papers.
The term of incumbent M Venkaiah Naidu ends on 10 August. The vice-president is also the Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about the process and the procedure to elect the vice-president:
What are the important dates?
As per the notification 19 July is the last date for filing nominations.
The scrutiny of nomination papers will be done on 20 July and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is 22 July.
Voting will be held between 10 am to 5 pm on 6 August.
The counting, if required, and result of the 16th Vice Presidential election will be declared on the same day.
“Counting of votes will be held in New Delhi under the supervision of the Returning Officer,” the Election Commission said.
The next vice-president will take the oath of office on 11 August.
Eligibility for contesting election
Anyone wanting to contest the poll must meet the following requirements:
Must be a citizen of India
Must have completed 35 years of age
Must be qualified for election as a member of the Rajya Sabha
Must not hold any office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any State or under any local government (Exceptions are the offices of President and Vice-President, Governor of any State and Ministers of Union or State)
The nomination paper of a candidate has to be subscribed by at least 20 electors as proposers and by at least 20 other electors as seconders. An elector can subscribe to only one nomination paper of a candidate as either a proposer or a seconder.
A candidate can file a maximum of four nomination papers.
The security deposit for the election is Rs 15,000.
Who has the edge in the polls?
While political parties are yet to name their candidates for the election, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has a clear edge in the election.
What’s the procedure for electing the vice-president?
The procedure is similar to that of choosing the President of India.
Like the president, the vice-president is chosen indirectly – that is by the representatives of the people.
Members of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, including the nominated ones, are eligible to vote.
The electoral college in the vice-presidential polls comprises a total of 788 members of both Houses of Parliament. Since all the electors are members of Parliament, the value of the vote of each MP would be the same, one, the EC said in a statement issued on 29 June.
The election is held in accordance with the system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote and the voting is held by secret ballot.
The election is held on ballot paper with the names of the candidates. The ballot paper does not contain any election symbol. There will be two columns in the ballot paper, Column 1 of the ballot paper contains the heading “Name of Candidate”, and Column 2 contains the heading “Mark order of preference”.
Each voter can mark as many preferences, as the number of candidates contesting the election. These preferences for the candidates are to be marked by the voter, by marking the figures 1,2,3, 4, 5 and so on, against the names of the candidates, in the order of preference.
Where does voting take place?
Unlike the presidential polls where the voting takes place at multiple locations as the elected MLAs, not the nominated members, also form part of the electoral college, in the vice-presidential election, the voting takes place in Parliament House
Is open voting allowed?
Showing the ballot to anyone under any circumstances in both presidential and vice-presidential elections prohibited.
Parties cannot issue a whip to its MPs in the matter of voting, allowing them to ‘vote their conscience’.
How does a candidate win?
The winning candidate has to secure the required quota of votes to be declared elected, that is 50 percent of valid votes polled +1.
With inputs from agencies
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