Election Commission Preparations for Vice-President Election
The Election Commission (EC) has commenced preparatory activities for the election to the office of Vice-President. This follows Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation due to health reasons.
Key Details:
The Election Commission (EC) is mandated under Article 324 of the Constitution to conduct this election.
The election is governed by the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952, and Rules, 1974.
The Electoral College for the Vice-President consists of elected and nominated members of both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.
Members of the Electoral College can vote based on individual choice, ensuring their discretion.
e.g.: This highlights the constitutional provisions and procedures for high-level elections in India, ensuring a structured democratic process.
About Election Commission of India (ECI) Powers (Article 324)
The ECI holds supreme authority (superintendence, direction, and control) over all major elections in India.
This includes elections for the President, Vice-President, Parliament (Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha), and State Legislatures.
The ECI is the sole constitutional body responsible for ensuring free, fair, and transparent elections.
It possesses extensive powers for conducting, supervising, and resolving election-related disputes.
- e.g.: The ECI sets election schedules, scrutinizes nominations, and enforces the Model Code of Conduct.
Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952:
This statutory Act governs the precise procedures for the Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections.
It outlines detailed steps for the entire election process, from the initial notification to the final declaration of results.
The Act defines crucial aspects like eligibility criteria for candidates, the roles of the Returning Officer, presiding officers, and observers.
The Act mandates that a Vice-Presidential candidate must have at least 20 proposers and 20 seconders from the Electoral College for their nomination to be valid.
Electoral College for Vice-President:
The Electoral College for the Vice-President’s election is unique, consisting of all members of Parliament.
This includes both elected and nominated members from both the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha.
This composition differs from the Presidential Electoral College, which only includes elected Members of Parliament and State Legislative Assemblies.
The Parliament-centric nature of this Electoral College reflects the Vice-President’s primary role as the presiding officer of the Rajya Sabha.
In the 2022 Vice-Presidential election, approximately 788 Members of Parliament were eligible to cast their votes.
Voting Mechanism – Proportional Representation (Single Transferable Vote):
Voters in the Vice-Presidential election use a system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote (STV).
Electors rank candidates in their order of preference on the ballot paper (e.g., 1, 2, 3).
To win, a candidate must secure a specific quota of votes, calculated using the formula: (Total valid votes: (Number of seats+1))+1.
This system aims to ensure the elected Vice-President has wider acceptability and broad support among parliamentarians.
- e.g.: If 780 valid votes are cast, the winning quota would be 391 votes.
Voting is by secret ballot, and political parties cannot issue whips to their members for this election.
Significance of the Office of Vice-President:
The Vice-President holds the second-highest constitutional office in India.
They serve as the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, presiding over its sessions, maintaining order, and having a casting vote in case of a tie.
Crucially, the Vice-President also acts as President of India during any vacancy in the President’s office.
This acting role occurs due to reasons like the President’s death, resignation, removal (impeachment), or inability to discharge functions (incapacity).
This temporary assumption of duties ensures constitutional continuity and stable governance in critical situations.
- e.g.: When acting as President, the Vice-President relinquishes their duties as Rajya Sabha Chairman, which are then performed by the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.