Political activity has intensified in India ahead of the Vice Presidential elections scheduled before 2025. A mock poll was organized in Parliament today for opposition MPs, providing them with information about the voting process, ahead of the election on Tuesday, September 9.
New Delhi: A mock poll is being organized today for opposition MPs ahead of the Vice Presidential elections on September 9. The objective of this exercise is to familiarize MPs with the voting procedure for the Vice Presidential election. Sources from the 'INDIA' alliance stated that the actual voting will take place on September 9. Prior to this, a mock voting session for opposition MPs will be conducted at approximately 2:30 PM in the Central Hall of Constitution Sadhan (old Parliament House) today, to ensure they have complete information about the process and avoid any difficulties on election day.
Mock Poll for Opposition MPs
Sources from the 'INDIA' alliance informed that a 'mock voting' session was conducted at approximately 2:30 PM today in the Central Hall of Constitution Sadhan (old Parliament House). During this process, opposition MPs were briefed on the technical aspects of voting, the usage of the voting machine, and methods of casting their ballots. This exercise was undertaken to prevent any potential errors by the MPs during the actual election.
Prior to the preparations for the mock poll in Parliament, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge was scheduled to host a dinner for opposition MPs at the Parliamentary Annexe. However, this was cancelled due to the national emergency caused by floods in the country.
Contest: C.P. Radhakrishnan Vs B. Sudarshan Reddy
In this year's Vice Presidential election, the NDA candidate C.P. Radhakrishnan and the joint opposition candidate B. Sudarshan Reddy are pitted against each other.
- C.P. Radhakrishnan: Hails from Tamil Nadu and has been a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party. He is currently the Governor of Maharashtra. His electoral experience and the support of the ruling NDA make him a b candidate.
- B. Sudarshan Reddy: Hails from Telangana and is a former Supreme Court judge. The 79-year-old Reddy has delivered several significant judgments in the judicial arena, such as declaring Salwa Judum, formed by the Chhattisgarh government to combat Naxalites, as unconstitutional, and ordering the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate illegal bank accounts held abroad.
This election is historic as both candidates are from South India, with Radhakrishnan from Tamil Nadu and Reddy from Telangana. While the opposition terms it an ideological contest, the numbers favor the ruling NDA.
Voting Process and Timetable
Rajya Sabha Secretary-General and Returning Officer P.C. Modi stated that the voting will take place on September 9 from 10 AM to 5 PM in Room No. F-101, Vasudha, at the Parliament House. The electoral college comprises:
- 233 elected members of the Rajya Sabha (currently 5 seats are vacant)
- 12 nominated members of the Rajya Sabha
- 543 elected members of the Lok Sabha (currently 1 seat is vacant)
- Thus, a total of 781 members are eligible to participate in the voting.
The counting of votes will commence on the same day at 6 PM, and the results will be declared immediately. The Returning Officer has ensured that the voting and counting processes will be conducted in a transparent and secure manner.
