Secret Ballots and Silent Battles: The Electrifying Election of Vice President
The vice-presidential election, featuring secret ballots, power plays, and first-in-line voting by the Prime Minister, is fascinating and gripping.
PM Modi Leads the Vote
The intense constitutional battle has been ignited by India’s vice-presidential election on September 9, 2025, and the voting is already in progress.At exactly 10 a.m. Prime Minister Narendra Modi took the very first vote of the day at the Vasudha room in Parliament. His move, together with the presence of ministers Kiren Rijiju, Arjun Ram Meghwal, Jitendra Singh, and L Murugan, signaled the official start of voting. Polling will be open till 5 p.m., whereas the counting will start at 6 p.m.
Contestants in the Ring
The NDA-led ruling alliance has nominated C P Radhakrishnan, the current Governor of Maharashtra, while the Congress-led INDIA bloc has selected Justice (Retd) B Sudershan Reddy as its candidate for the vice presidential election.
Voting Dynamics and Numbers
As the NDA has a solid majority in both Houses of Parliament, Radhakrishnan is likely to win. On the other hand, the Opposition has taken thorough measures. Members of Parliament organized a mock poll to curtail the chances of invalid ballots.
On the other hand, the BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi) has opted for a boycott and attributed the distress of farmers—mostly concerning the lack of urea—as the reason for their refusal. Their boycott, which is further supported by the four Rajya Sabha seats, might influence the final count.
Stakes of the Election
After the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on July 21, due to health problems, the mid-term vice-presidential election was initiated, mirroring the first one held in 1987. The Vice President of India is the second-highest-ranking official in the country by the constitution, presides over the Rajya Sabha, and performs the duties of the President when asked.
At Glance
The election procedure is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., while the counting is scheduled from 6 p.m. onwards. The opposition has nominated Justice (Retd.) B. Sudershan Reddy, whereas the incumbent party has fielded the Governor of Maharashtra, C. P. Radhakrishnan. Nevertheless, the high-profile election has some intriguing factors, which include the opposition’s mock voting to avoid mistakes and the BRS’s decision to abstain from voting.
Why It Matters
This election, although largely a procedural formality, mirrors India’s fragile federal democracy model, where political alliances, regional interests, and constitutional norms intersect. You could say that politics has not left any area of the world untouched, from the local pride and the activities of the parliament that are around such themes as power, process, and identity.
