Vice Presidential Election India Live: Voting for India’s next Vice President underway in Parliament; NDA…

Congress MP Mallu Ravi claimed on Tuesday that certain members of the National Democratic Alliance do not find it “acceptable” that the Vice Presidential candidate Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan, is associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Saying that the mood has swung to “elect Justice B Sudershan Reddy” as Vice President, the Congress leader suggested that some NDA members, who might not prefer Radhakrishnan, will cross vote for the joint Opposition candidate instead.

“The mood of the nation is to elect Justice Sudershan Reddy as the Vice President of India, as everyone knows that he is committed to protecting democracy and the Constitution. The NDA candidate himself has written to all MPs saying that he is from RSS and Jan Sangh, which is not acceptable to many party members of the NDA. So, they may cross-vote for Sudershan Reddy,” Mallu Ravi told ANI.

Radhakrishnan has associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Jana Sangh from a young age. He joined the BJP during the party’s inception in 1980 itself.

The Congress leader however, conceded that it will be a “miracle” if Reddy is elected.

Ravi further questioned other parties, both who are abstaining, and others who are supporting the NDA candidate, claiming that they should have supported “protecting the Constitution”. While Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has abstained from voting in the elections, Telegu Desam Party is an NDA ally. However, YSR Congress, the opposition party in Telangana, has supported the NDA candidate, despite not being in alliance. ShiromAkali Dal (SAD) also announced earlier that they will “boycott” the polls, saying that people in Punjab are “upset and angry” over not receiving assistance from the Centre or state govt.

“There will be a miracle this evening when Sudershan Reddy will be elected. Both Hanuman Beniwal and Chandrasekhar came only to support him. But what went wrong with the BRS, TDP, and YSR Congress people in supporting Sudershan Reddy when other leaders from Rajasthan and UP are coming forward to support him and protect the Constitution?” Ravi said.

Earlier today in Bihar, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav also expressed support for the joint opposition candidate.

“Our full support is to B. Sudershan Reddy (INDIA alliance candidate and former Supreme Court judge),” the RJD leader said.

CP Radhakrishnan seems to have the edge in elections, with the NDA candidate expected to receive 424 votes from MPs, well above the majority mark of 391. Meanwhile, B Sudershan Reddy, is backed by 354 MPs.

Currently, the Parliament comprises 781 members, including 542 in the Lok Sabha with one seat vacant and 239 in the Rajya Sabha with five seats vacant.

(reports ANI)

Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu on Tuesday expressed strong confidence in the victory of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate in the upcoming Vice President election, predicting that the ruling coalition will secure a large majority.

Speaking to ANI, the TDP MP further claimed that some of the opposition MPs will also vote for the NDA candidate.

Voting began for the vice presidential poll on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi the first to cast his vote.

The poll is witnessing a direct contest between ruling NDA nominee C P Radhakrishnan and joint opposition candidate B Sudershan Reddy, with the BJP-led alliance having a clear edge in the poll necessitated due to the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Among the early voters were Union ministers Rajnath Singh, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Kiren Rijiju. Rajya Sabha deputy chairperson Harivansh, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut and SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav were among others who came to cast their vote.

Members of both Houses of Parliament will cast their votes in the Parliament House between 10 AM and 5 PM on Tuesday. Counting votes will begin at 6 PM, and the results will be announced late evening.

Members of Parliament are not bound by party whips to vote in the vice presidential election, which takes place under a secret ballot system.

The electoral college for the vice presidential election comprises a total of 788 members – 245 from the Rajya Sabha and 543 from the Lok Sabha. The 12 nominated members of the Rajya Sabha are also eligible to vote in the election.

National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) Vice Presidential candidate CP Radhakrishan has appointed Telegu Desam Party leader and Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu, along with Janata Dal (United) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha as his polling agents for the upcoming elections on Tuesday.

Both the TDP and JD(U), both NDA alliance partners, have earlier expressed support for Radkhakrishan. The Vice Presidential election is scheduled to be held today, with the voting to begin before noon. The counting of votes will also take place in the evening today.

Radkhakrishan will be facing off against retired Supreme Court Judge B Sudershan Reddy, who has been named as the joint opposition candidate for the Vice President’s post. However, numbers favour Radhakrishan, as he is expected to receive around 427 votes, well above the majority mark of 391. In contrast, the INDIA bloc hopes for cross voting to defeat the NDA candidate.

(reports ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the Parliament House to cast his vote for the Vice Presidential election.

Voting for the post of Vice President to begin shortly. NDA nominee and Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan faces the Opposition INDIA bloc’s nominee and former Supreme Court Judge B. Sudershan Reddy in this election. Counting of votes to be held later in the day.

Ahead of the Vice President elections on Tuesday (September 9), opposition INDIA bloc’s candidate, former Supreme Court judge Justice B Sudershan Reddy, on Monday evening met RLP MP Hanuman Beniwal and Azad Samaj Party President and MP Chandrasekhar Azad in Delhi to seek support.

Thanking Beniwal, Reddy called it a “memorable moment” in his campaign. “I express gratitude to Hanuman Beniwal for supporting me… This is a memorable moment in my life, when one of the tall leaders of our country came to extend his support…” Reddy told ANI.

Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc on Monday announced its polling and counting agents for the election. MPs Syed Naseer Hussain, Manickam Tagore, and Shatabdi Roy have been appointed as the polling agents, while Shakti Singh Gohil and Manickam Tagore will serve as counting agents for Reddy.

On the NDA side, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, TDP MP Ram Mohan Naidu and Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde have been named as election agents of the ruling coalition’s candidate, CP Radhakrishnan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the first to cast his vote in the election on Tuesday, sources said, adding that he will vote along with MPs from Punjab and Haryana.

The Vice Presidential post fell vacant after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on July 21, citing health reasons, on the opening day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The election will see a direct contest between B Sudershan Reddy, backed by the INDIA bloc, and Radhakrishnan, fielded by the NDA.

The Vice President is elected by an electoral college comprising members of both Houses of Parliament. The election is held in accordance with Articles 64 and 68 of the Constitution. The Election Commission notifies the VP polls by the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952.

As per Article 66(1) of the Constitution of India, the election of the Vice President shall be held by the system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote, and the voting at such election shall be by secret ballot.

(reports ANI)

Ahead of the Vice President elections on Tuesday (September 9), opposition INDIA bloc’s candidate, former Supreme Court judge Justice B Sudershan Reddy, on Monday evening met RLP MP Hanuman Beniwal and Azad Samaj Party President and MP Chandrasekhar Azad in Delhi to seek support.

Thanking Beniwal, Reddy called it a “memorable moment” in his campaign. “I express gratitude to Hanuman Beniwal for supporting me… This is a memorable moment in my life, when one of the tall leaders of our country came to extend his support…” Reddy told ANI.

Meanwhile, the INDIA bloc on Monday announced its polling and counting agents for the election. MPs Syed Naseer Hussain, Manickam Tagore, and Shatabdi Roy have been appointed as the polling agents, while Shakti Singh Gohil and Manickam Tagore will serve as counting agents for Reddy.

On the NDA side, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, TDP MP Ram Mohan Naidu and Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde have been named as election agents of the ruling coalition’s candidate, CP Radhakrishnan.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the first to cast his vote in the election on Tuesday, sources said, adding that he will vote along with MPs from Punjab and Haryana.

(reports ANI)

Delhi: NDA MPs reach Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai’s residence ahead of the Vice-Presidential elections

BJP MP Pradeep Kumar Singh says, “We are 110 per cent confident of victory today. Under PM Modi’s leadership, everything is on track, and we will win with a good margin.”

The stage is set for a direct contest between NDA’s C P Radhakrishnan and the Opposition’s B Sudershan Reddy for today’s vice presidential election.

BRS, BJD and Shiromani Akali Dal have decided to abstain from voting in the election.

Election for the post of Vice President to be held today. NDA nominee and Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan faces the Opposition INDIA bloc’s nominee and former Supreme Court Judge B. Sudershan Reddy in this election. Counting of votes to be held later in the day.

NDA MPs reach Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s residence ahead of the Vice-Presidential elections.

BJP MP Maya Naroliya says, “We are very happy, and today in the Vice-Presidential elections we will use our vote with wisdom.”

The stage is set for a direct contest between NDA’s C P Radhakrishnan and the Opposition’s B Sudershan Reddy for today’s vice presidential election.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday expressed confidence that NDA’s Vice Presidential candidate CP Radhakrishnan will get more votes that the strength of the ruling alliance, saying many MPs are thinking of voting for him in the election on Tuesday.

“There will be secret voting. CP Radhakrishnanji will get more support from the MPs than the votes from the NDA. Many MPs are thinking of voting for Radhakrishnan ji, and it is in the national interest that a very good person with nationalist ideology becomes the Vice President of our country,” Rijiju told mediapersons here.

Answering a query, he said even one vote going waste is a huge loss.

“So last time we have seen few invalid votes. So the Prime Minister has appealed that not a single vote should be invalid or any vote should go wastage. All MPs are very particular about their voting rights” he said.

Vice President Election News Update Live: The NDA has nominated Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan for the September 9 vice-presidential election, where he will face the Opposition’s Sudershan Reddy.

Born in 1957 in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan began as an RSS swayamsevak and later rose through the BJP ranks. He was elected twice to the Lok Sabha from Coimbatore in 1998 and 1999, chaired the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Textiles, and served on key finance and PSU panels. He also represented India at the UN General Assembly in 2004.

As Tamil Nadu BJP president (2004–07), he led statewide yatras on issues like river linking, civil code, and social reforms. Later, he chaired the Coir Board in Kochi. More recently, he served as Governor of Jharkhand, Telangana (additional charge), and Puducherry (Lt. Governor) before taking charge as Maharashtra Governor in July 2024.

Radhakrishnan brings a long career in politics and governance into the vice-presidential contest.

Vice President Election News Update Live: The Opposition’s INDIA bloc has named former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy as its nominee for the September 9 vice-presidential election, setting up a contest with the NDA’s candidate, Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan.

Born in 1946 in Telangana to an agricultural family, Reddy studied law at Osmania University and began his practice in Hyderabad. He went on to serve as Government Pleader, Additional Standing Counsel for the Centre, and Legal Adviser to Osmania University before being appointed as a judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 1995. He later became Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court in 2005 and was elevated to the Supreme Court in 2007, where he served until his retirement in 2011.

Post-retirement, Reddy briefly served as Goa’s first Lokayukta and is currently on the board of the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre in Hyderabad. His candidacy brings decades of judicial experience into a contest where the ruling NDA relies on Radhakrishnan’s political and administrative track record.

• The candidate who secures 50% plus of valid votes cast is declared the winner.
• When only two candidates are contesting, the result is decided in the first round of counting, as the candidate with more votes automatically crosses the quota.
• If there are multiple candidates and no one reaches the required number of votes, counting continues through a process of elimination.
• The candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated, and their ballot papers are redistributed to remaining candidates based on the next available preference marked.
• This process continues until a candidate secures the required quota.

Vice President Election News Update Live: The Vice-President candidate is nominated by the ruling alliance, who can be challenged by the opposition with a candidate of their own.

All 788 members of Parliament, including 543 Lok Sabha members and 245 Rajya Sabha members, are eligible to vote. With the vacancies, it is likely 781 MPs will be able to vote.

Vice President Election News Updates Live: Good morning, ET readers!

India’s Parliament is voting today to choose the country’s next Vice-President after Jagdeep Dhankhar stepped down in July. The contest is between CP Radhakrishnan, BJP veteran and current Governor of Maharashtra, and Sudershan Reddy, former Supreme Court judge backed by the Opposition’s INDIA bloc.

Polling will be held from 10 am to 5 pm inside Parliament House, followed by counting in the evening. On paper, Radhakrishnan has the numbers with NDA’s support, but Reddy’s bid has rallied the Opposition and could set new records in the history of Vice-Presidential elections.

Stay with us as we bring to you every development, from the first ballot to the final result.