After all, how is the Vice President elected? Current President resign on 21 July.

🗳️ How Is the Vice President of India Elected?

1. The Constitutional Foundation: Article 66

The election process for India’s Vice President is enshrined in Article 66 of the Constitution. Key provisions include:

An electoral college composed of all members of both Houses of Parliament (elected and nominated) elects the Vice President.
The single transferable vote (STV) system coupled with proportional representation is used. Voting is by secret ballot.
The Vice President must not be a member of any state legislature or either House of Parliament at the time of taking office; if so elected, they vacate that seat automatically.
Eligibility: must be a citizen of India, at least 35 years old, and qualified to be a member of the Rajya Sabha. They cannot hold an office of profit under central, state, or local government.

2. Electoral College & Voting Weight

The electoral college comprises Lok Sabha (543 elected + 2 nominated) and Rajya Sabha (233 elected + 12 nominated) members, totalling around 790 MPs.
Unlike Presidential elections where votes have varied value, each MP’s vote in the Vice Presidential election counts as one.
Nominated members of both Houses are eligible to vote, unlike in presidential elections where nominated Lok Sabha members cannot.

3. Nomination & Candidature

A candidate must be nominated by at least 20 MPs as proposers and 20 MPs as seconders, who cannot back multiple candidates.
A maximum of four nomination papers per candidate are allowed, and a security deposit of ₹15,000 must be paid.
Nomination papers are scrutinized on a set date by the Returning Officer, typically the Secretary‑General of Parliament by rotation.
Candidates may withdraw their candidature within the specified period by submitting a written notice to the Returning Officer.

4. Polling & Voting Method

Voting is conducted via secret ballot in Parliament—usually in a single meeting room, such as Room No. 63 of the Parliament House.
Voters mark preference: “1” for first preference, “2” for second, and so on, using Indian numerals, Roman numerals, or any recognized Indian language—never by words.
Parties cannot issue whips, and MPs vote according to conscience. This voting is not bound by anti-defection laws.

5. Counting & Determining the Winner

The quota for victory is calculated as:
(Total valid votes ÷ 2) + 1.
If no candidate achieves this in the first count, the candidate with the least votes is eliminated, and their votes transferred according to next preferences marked on ballots. This continues until someone reaches the quota.
Exhausted ballots (no further preference marked) are not counted further.
The Returning Officer declares the result, reports to the President, Election Commission, and Government, then publishes it in the Official Gazette.

6. Timeline & Election Administration

The election must take place within 60 days of the incumbent Vice President’s term ending.
The Election Commission of India administers the process under the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952, and the associated 1974 Rules.
Typically, the Returning Officer issues public notifications, nominates candidates, and oversees nominations and withdrawals before polling day.

7. Historical Perspective & Notable Cases

The system evolved with the Eleventh Amendment (1961), which allowed separate voting by both Houses, doing away with joint sessions for Vice President elections.
In the 2022 election, Jagdeep Dhankhar of the BJP (NDA) won with 528 votes (74.37%), defeating Margaret Alva of UPA, reflecting strong coalition management and cross-voting patterns.
Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, India’s first Vice President, was re-elected unopposed in 1957—the only time the office went uncontested.

8. Key Differences from Presidential Election

Feature	President	Vice President
Electors	Elected MPs + MLAs	All MPs (elected + nominated)
Vote Value	Varies (MP and MLA weighted)	Uniform (one vote per MP)
Anti-defection law applicability	MP and MLA bound by whips	MPs vote freely (secret ballot)
Eligibility	Must be 35, citizen, not hold profit	Same, but must be qualified for Rajya Sabha

9. Significance & Roles of the Vice President

The Vice President is the ex officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, crucial for presiding over upper house debates and ensuring procedural discipline.
In case of a vacancy in the President’s office (death, resignation), the VP acts as Acting President until a new one is elected—within six months.
The constitutional independence in the VP election process reinforces checks and balances, allowing MPs to vote independently of party pressure.

10. Challenges & Criticisms

Opaque internal politics: Though not bound by whips, party loyalties may still influence outcomes behind closed doors.
Turnout and voting secrecy: MPs must follow secret ballot rules strictly to maintain constitutional integrity.
Legal disputes: All election disputes are adjudicated by the Supreme Court of India, via petition (usually requiring a security deposit of ₹20,000) and reviewed by a five-judge bench.

✅ Summary of Key Steps

Electoral College: All members of both Houses of Parliament—including nominated members.
Candidate Eligibility: Indian citizen, age ≥35, qualified for Rajya Sabha, no office of profit.
Nominations: At least 20 proposers and 20 seconders; ₹15,000 deposit; max four nomination forms.
Voting: Secret ballot, proportional representation system, STV.
Quota for election: 50% of valid votes +1.
Counting mechanism: First preferences checked; if none meets quota, elimination and transfer continues.
Result Declaration: By Returning Officer; notified to EC, government; published in Official Gazette.
Legal Challenges: Handled by the Supreme Court; final and binding.

Final Reflection

The election of India’s Vice President is a critical constitutional exercise, reflecting the democratic principle of indirect election combined with strategic parliamentary representation. While lacking a mass public vote, it paves a careful balance between political alignment and individual conscience, with MPs free from whip pressure. By emphasizing transparency and proportional representation, this process maintains institutional decorum and upholds the sanctity of India’s constitutional office.

The Vice President’s role as Rajya Sabha Chairperson adds significance to the election. It ensures that upper house proceedings are managed with impartiality and authority. When the President’s office becomes vacant, the VP’s temporary succession maintains continuity and governance stability.

Whether in peacetime governance or constitutional transition, the Vice President remains a linchpin—elected thoughtfully and purposefully, following a well-structured, constitutionally mandated process.