New Delhi, Aug 19: India is gearing up for the Vice Presidential election scheduled for September 9, following the unexpected resignation of incumbent Jagdeep Dhankhar.

The Election Commission has laid out the timeline: nomination filing ends on August 21, scrutiny on August 22, and withdrawal deadline is August 25.

Electoral Math & Voting Process

As per Article 66 of the Constitution, the Vice President is elected by an Electoral College comprising elected and nominated members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. This year, the total strength stands at 782, down from the full 788 due to six vacant seats. The majority mark required to win is 394 votes.

The NDA, with 422 MPs, has a clear numerical edge and has nominated CP Radhakrishnan, a seasoned BJP leader and current Governor of Maharashtra. His Tamil Nadu roots are seen as a strategic move ahead of the 2026 state elections.

The ruling NDA has officially announced CP Radhakrishnan as its candidate for the post of Vice President. He is expected to file his nomination papers on August 20. CP Radhakrishnan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, following which PM Modi extended his congratulations on being nominated as the Vice Presidential candidate.

read: PM Modi Meets NDA’s Vice Presidential Nominee

Opposition Strategy

The INDIA bloc is yet to finalize its candidate but is reportedly considering a non-political face to symbolize constitutional integrity. Names under discussion include former ISRO scientist and Chandrayaan-1 mission director Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai, DMK MP Tiruchi Siva, and Tushar Gandhi, great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. A Dalit intellectual from Maharashtra is also among the names being considered to be the candidate.

A crucial meeting of opposition leaders is scheduled at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence, where a final decision is expected.

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