The Election Commission on Wednesday announced that the poll for the post of Vice-President will be held on August 6, as M. Venkaiah Naidu’s term was coming to an end on August 10.
The electoral college for the poll will comprise 233 Rajya Sabha members, 12 nominated Rajya Sabha members and 543 Lok Sabha members. The EC said the list would be updated if the 51 vacant Rajya Sabha seats and seven nominated members are filled or named during the election process. The Lok Sabha Secretary-General would be appointed as the Returning Officer.
According to the schedule that was finalised at a meeting of the EC, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar and attended by Election Commissioner Anup Chandra Pandey, the notification would be issued on July 5. The last date for filing nominations would be July 19, the date of scrutiny would be July 20 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature would be July 22. Polling and counting, if necessary, would be held on August 6.
“The Constitution has expressly provided that election to the office of Vice-President shall be by secret ballot. Therefore, the electors are expected to scrupulously maintain secrecy of vote... It is also clarified that political parties cannot issue any whip to their MPs in the matter of voting in the Vice-Presidential election,” the EC said.
