NEW DELHI, July 23: The Election Commission of India (ECI) said on Wednesday that it has begun preparatory activities for holding the vice-presidential election and would announce the poll schedule “as soon as possible.”
The ECI has received the gazette notification issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday, notifying the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar from the Vice President’s post. Mr Dhankhar, 74, resigned from his post on Monday citing health reasons creating a rare mid-term vacancy in the constitutional position.
The ECI under Article 324, is mandated to conduct the election to the office of the Vice President of India. The election to the office of the Vice President of India is governed by the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952 and the rules made thereunder, namely the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Rules, 1974.
“Accordingly, the Election Commission of India has already started the preparations relating to the Vice-Presidential Elections, 2025. On completion of the preparatory activities, the announcement of the Election Schedule to the office of the Vice-President of India will follow as soon as possible,” the poll body said in a statement.
Major pre-announcement activities, which have already been started include preparation of Electoral College which consists of elected as well as nominated members of Rajya Sabha as well as Lok Sabha, finalisation of Returning Officer and Assistant Returning Officer(s) and preparation and dissemination of background material on all the previous Vice-Presidential elections.
The Vice-President is elected by an Electoral College, which consists of the members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Members of the Electoral College can vote according to their choice and are not bound by any party whip.
According to the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Rules, 1974, the nomination paper has to be subscribed by at least 20 electors as proposers and at least 20 electors as seconders and has to be presented to the Returning Officer, between 11 p.m. and 3 p.m. on any day appointed for the purpose, either by the candidate himself or by any of his proposers or seconders. The Security Deposit for the election is Rs 15,000.
By convention, the Secretary General, Lok Sabha or the Secretary General, Rajya Sabha is appointed as the Returning Officer, by rotation. Two other senior officers of the Lok Sabha/Rajya Sabha Secretariat are appointed as the Assistant Returning Officers.
Meanwhile, the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday claimed that there was something fishy about Mr Dhankhar’s sudden resignation and demanded the government to clarify on it. Mr Kharge claimed that Mr Dhankhar used to “defend” the BJP and the RSS more than the BJP-RSS people themselves, but still had to resign.
“The government must answer why he resigned, what are the reasons, what is the secret behind it. We feel that ‘daal mein kuch kaala hai ‘(there is something fishy). He seems healthy and always keeps a good vocabulary. But what happened? He used to defend the BJP and the RSS more than the BJP-RSS people themselves,” the Congress president said.
“At such a time, he has given his resignation, so the country should be informed what is the reason and who is behind this?” he told reporters. In a sudden move on Monday night, Mr Dhankhar resigned from his post on Monday evening, citing medical reasons. He sent his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu and said he was stepping down with immediate effect. His resignation was promptly accepted by the president.
The Congress on Tuesday claimed the reasons behind Mr Dhankhar’s resignation as vice president are “far deeper” than health issues cited by him, and said his resignation speaks highly of him but poorly of those who got him elected to the post.
(Manas Dasgupta)