Indian Vice-Presidential elections begin: Radhakrishnan vs Reddy in high-stakes face-off

Voting for India’s new Vice-President started at 10 am today, with PM Narendra Modi casting the first vote. The contest is between NDA’s CP Radhakrishnan and INDIA bloc’s B. Sudarshan Reddy.

India has officially begun voting for its new Vice-President today, following Jagdeep Dhankhar’s resignation on health grounds. The election is being held in Parliament, with the contest between NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan and INDIA bloc’s B. Sudarshan Reddy.

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Polling opened at 10 am, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi casting the first vote, setting the tone for the day’s proceedings. Voting will continue until 5 pm, after which counting begins at 6 pm. Results are expected later this evening.

Voted in the 2025 Vice President election. pic.twitter.com/soCoJJmHSI

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) September 9, 2025

How is the Vice President elected in India

The Vice-President of India is elected by an Electoral College comprising all Members of Parliament from both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, unlike the President’s election where state legislators also vote. The election is conducted through a secret ballot using the single transferable vote (STV) system, where MPs rank candidates by preference. A candidate must secure a majority of votes to win, with lower-ranked candidates’ votes transferred until one crosses the required quota.

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Who has a greater chance of being India’s next Vice President?

Given NDA’s majority strength, CP Radhakrishnan is seen as the frontrunner, backed by an estimated 427 MPs, comfortably above the required majority of 391. Meanwhile, Sudarshan Reddy, a former Supreme Court judge, has rallied support from the INDIA bloc, making this a prestige contest despite the numerical gap.

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Vice-President role:

The Vice-President of India plays a crucial role as the ex-officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha and acts as the nation’s second-highest constitutional authority. The Vice-President serves a five-year term, and acts as the President if the post falls vacant temporarily.
Today’s outcome will mark a significant moment in India’s political calendar, as the successor to Jagdeep Dhankhar takes shape.