Vice Presidential Election on September 9; Opposition Plans Joint Candidate

India’s next Vice Presidential election will be held on September 9, 2025, following the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar on July 21 citing health reasons. His resignation was accepted by President Droupadi Murmu the next day.

The Election Commission will issue the notification on August 7, with nominations closing on August 21 and withdrawals allowed till August 25.

NDA’s Likely Candidates

Possible NDA candidates include Thawarchand Gehlot (Governor of Karnataka), Om Mathur (Governor of Sikkim), and Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh. Meanwhile, the I.N.D.I.A. bloc is likely to announce a joint opposition candidate, despite NDA having a clear majority.

6-Step Election Process

1. Electoral College: Includes 782 MPs from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
2. Notification: Election notice to be issued on August 7.
3. Nomination: Requires support from at least 20 proposers and 20 seconders (MPs).
4. Limited Campaigning: Only MPs vote; hence campaigning is restricted.
5. Voting System: MPs vote by marking candidate preferences.
6. Same-Day Result: Counting is done the same day post voting.

Eligibility for Vice President

• Must be at least 35 years old
• Must be qualified to be a Rajya Sabha member
• Must not hold any office of profit

Despite the NDA’s strength of 422 MPs, the opposition aims to contest strongly, arguing that the battle is not completely one-sided.