Mock Vice-Presidential poll for I.N.D.I.A. MPs on September 8

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Sep 3, 2025: I.N.D.I.A MPs will meet in the national capital on September 8, a day before the Vice Presidential elections, for a ’mock poll’ on how to vote for the Opposition candidate Justice B Sudershan Reddy.

According to Article 66(1) of the Constitution, the Vice Presidential election will be held in accordance with the proportional representation system by means of the single transferable vote.

In this system, the voter, in this case an MP, has to mark preferences against the name of candidates, and it can be marked in the international form of Indian numerals, in Roman form, or in a form in any recognised Indian language.

Preference has to be marked in figures only and shall not be indicated in words. The elector can mark as many preferences as the number of candidates and marking of the first preference is compulsory for the ballot paper to be valid while other preferences are optional.

The Election Commission will supply particular pens for marking preferences and the voters will be handed over this pen by a designated official when the ballot paper is handed over. Electors have to mark the ballot paper with this particular pen and not with any other pen. Voting by using any other pen shall lead to invalidation of the vote at the time of counting.

Sources said I.N.D.I.A MPs will be briefed on the procedure on September 8 and a mock poll would be conducted. In the ballot, Justice Reddy’s name will be first, followed by his NDA rival C P Radhakrishnan, presently Maharashtra Governor. The present electorate for the Vice Presidential election consists of 782 MPs as there are six vacancies in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Justice Reddy is assured of 323 votes, including AAP MPs, while his rival could get at least 438 votes, including YSR Congress, if all 782 cast their votes. The preferences of 21 MPs are yet to be known.

Meanwhile, Justice Reddy has written to all MPs seeking support. "This particular election is not merely a choice between two individuals. It is fundamentally an ideological choice. It is about reaffirming the very idea of India asenvisaged by our freedom movement and as enshrined in our magnificent Constitution...," he said in letters to MPs.

He said the Vice President, as Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha, carries the responsibility of safeguarding the highest traditions of Parliamentary democracy without fear and favour. "If elected, I pledge to discharge that role with impartiality, dignity, and a steadfast commitment to dialogue, decency and decorum," he added.