The race for India’s 15th Vice President reached its decisive phase on Tuesday as Members of Parliament (MPs) cast their votes between 10 am and 5 pm in the new Parliament building, with counting of votes beginning at 6 pm in New Delhi.
The Vice Presidential election 2025 is a straight contest between the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee CP Radhakrishnan, the current Governor of Maharashtra, and the opposition INDIA bloc’s candidate Justice B. Sudershan Reddy, a retired Supreme Court judge.
Record Voting Turnout
According to official updates, 768 MPs exercised their franchise out of 781 eligible voters, recording a nearly 98% turnout. While NDA claimed full participation from its 427 MPs, the Congress party highlighted that the opposition remained united with all 315 INDIA bloc MPs casting their votes, calling it “unprecedented 100% voting.”
However, 13 MPs abstained from voting:
- 7 from BJD (Biju Janata Dal)
- 4 from BRS (Bharat Rashtra Samithi)
- 1 from Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)
- 1 Independent MP
BJD had already announced its abstention, BRS opted out of participation, and SAD said it was boycotting due to grievances over Punjab’s issues with the Centre.
High-Profile Voting in Parliament
The election witnessed participation from the nation’s top political leaders.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the first to cast his vote.
- Senior NDA leaders Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda, and Kiren Rijiju followed.
- Opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also voted.
This poll comes just 50 days after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned as Vice President on July 21, 2025, citing health reasons, leaving the seat vacant.
Numbers Game: Who Holds the Edge?
On paper, NDA’s CP Radhakrishnan holds a clear majority edge:
- Lok Sabha: Expected 293 votes in his favor
- Rajya Sabha: Expected 134 votes
- Total projected support: 427 MPs, well above the required majority of 391
Opposition INDIA bloc’s candidate, Justice B Sudershan Reddy, is backed by 354 MPs:
- Lok Sabha: 249 votes
- Rajya Sabha: 105 votes
Currently, the electoral college stands at 781 MPs, comprising 542 in Lok Sabha (one seat vacant) and 239 in Rajya Sabha (five seats vacant). Both alliances had conducted mock polls before voting day to minimize invalid ballots.
What’s Next?
With voting concluded and counting underway, the result is expected later tonight. The winner will be sworn in as the 15th Vice President of India, succeeding Jagdeep Dhankhar.
This election not only reflects the numbers in Parliament but also showcases the battle of unity claims — NDA projecting strength with its full support base and the INDIA bloc boasting 100% participation of its MPs.
The outcome will define the next five years of the Vice President’s role as the Rajya Sabha Chairperson and mark another crucial political chapter ahead of the 2026 elections.
