New Delhi, Aug 6, (UNI): NDA candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar was on Saturday declared the next Vice President of India securing 528 votes over Opposition candidate Margaret Alva’s 182.
Announcing the results, Returning Officer for Vice Presidential polls and Secretary General of Lok Sabha Utpal Kumar Singh said that as many as 725 MPs cast their ballot in Vice Presidential poll which is 92.94% of the total votes. He said that 15 votes were declared invalid.
“The total submission to get a candidate elected is determined by dividing the total number of first preference votes secured by both candidates by two and then adding one to the quotient. The total necessary for being elected Vice President of India is 352 votes. On the basis of counting Jagdeep Dhankhar secured 528 first preference votes, and Margaret Alva secured 182 votes,” he said.
AITC MPs Shishir Adhikari and Dibyendu Adhikari defied the party’s call to abstain from the polling and casted their votes. The rest of the 34 AITC MPs did not cast their votes. BJP leaders Sunny Deol and Sanjay Dhotre did not vote due to health reasons.
The Electoral College consisted of 233 elected members of Rajya Sabha, 12 nominated members of Rajya Sabha, and 543 elected members of Lok Sabha, adding up to 788 members. However, out of 788, 725 MPs casted their votes for the Vice Presidential poll. Eight seats are vacant in Rajya Sabha.
