Did PM Modi Kickstart the VP Election by Casting His Vote?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- PM Modi voted in the Vice Presidential election.
- The election features candidates from NDA and INDIA bloc.
- Voting was conducted using secret ballots for privacy.
- The Vice President acts as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.
- Results will be announced after counting later today.
New Delhi, Sep 9 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi exercised his voting right for the Vice-Presidential election at the New Parliament Building in New Delhi on Tuesday.
Following his vote, PM Modi shared on the social media platform X: "Voted in the 2025 Vice President election."
Members of the NDA and the INDIA bloc were also casting their votes.
This election features a contest between the NDA candidate, Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, and the INDIA bloc's nominee, former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy.
To ensure privacy, all parliamentarians were provided with identical pens for voting.
Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, currently a member of the Rajya Sabha, arrived in a wheelchair to cast his vote.
Vote counting will occur later today, with results to be announced thereafter.
This election is politically significant, as the Vice President also holds the office of Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, a crucial role in parliamentary operations.
Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, along with Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde, are appointed as official election agents for the process.
The electoral college for the Vice Presidential election consists of 781 members, including 542 elected members from the Lok Sabha and 239 members from the Rajya Sabha (comprising 233 elected and 12 nominated, with six vacancies across both Houses).
Each vote carries equal weight, and voting is carried out via a secret ballot, following established parliamentary protocols. A majority of 391 votes is required to win.
The Vice Presidential position became vacant after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on July 21 due to health concerns, marking the first day of the monsoon session of Parliament.
Political analysts anticipate a closely watched contest, despite the NDA's perceived numerical advantage in the combined strength of the two Houses.
However, there is keen interest in possible cross-voting and the outcome this evening.