VP poll ends: Jagdeep Dhankar or Margaret Alva, counting begins

Counting of votes for the vice presidential election began Saturday evening after nearly 93 per cent of the members of Parliament cast their ballots. The counting started at 6 pm under the supervision of the Lok Sabha Secretary General, who is the returning officer for the poll.

New Delhi:Counting of votes for the vice presidential election began Saturday evening after nearly 93 per cent of the members of Parliament cast their ballots.The counting started at 6 pm under the supervision of the Lok Sabha Secretary General, who is the returning officer for the poll.

As many as 725 MPs voted in the election, polling for which started at 10 AM and ended at 5 PM. National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee and former West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar (71) is pitted against joint Opposition candidate Margaret Alva (80) in the election.

All members of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, including nominated ones, are eligible to vote in the vice presidential election. With the ruling BJP having an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha and 91 members in the Rajya Sabha, Dhankhar has a clear edge over his rival.

While Prime Minister Narendra Modi was among the first ones to vote, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in a wheelchair and needed support to stand up and cast his vote. Home Minister Amit Shah, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president J P Nadda, Commerce Minister and Leader of House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh, BJP chief whip Rakesh Singh were among those who have casted their votes.

Members of both the Houses of the Parliament, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha as well as nominated members, are eligible to vote in the Vice Presidential poll. The electoral college in the Vice Presidential election comprises a total of 788 members of both Houses of Parliament, of which there are eight vacancies in the Upper House. Hence, 780 MPs are eligible to cast their ballot in this election..

The term of incumbent M Venkaiah Naidu ends on August 10. In the Vice President election, a candidate must secure at least 393 votes out of 788, which is the combined strength of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. (With Agency inputs)