Vice-President Election 2022: Jagdeep Dhankhar defeats Margaret Alva

India

oi-Prakash KL

New Delhi, Aug 06: NDA candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar has been elected as the next Vice President of India. He defeated Opposition candidate Margaret Alva in the polls held on Saturday.

Members of Parliament of both houses voted to elect the next Vice President of India in the election where NDA candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar was pitted against Alva.

Around 93 per cent polling was recorded in the vice presidential election on Saturday, with more than 50 MPs not exercising their franchise. Officials said of the total 780 MPs, as many as 725 MPs voted till 5 pm when the polling concluded.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his predecessor Manmohan Singh cast their ballots early in the day, while opposition leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi voted a little after noon, the officials said. The Trinamool Congress, which has 39 MPs, including 23 in Lok Sabha, abstained from the election.

However, two of its MPs — Sisir Kumar Adhikari and Dibyendu Adhikari — broke ranks and cast their ballots. Polling to elect the next Vice President of India began at 10 am, with Modi being among the first ones to vote.

All MPs of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, including nominated members, are entitled to vote in the vice presidential election. The two Houses of Parliament together have a sanctioned strength of 788 MPs, of which there are eight vacancies in the Upper House.