V-P election: EC appoints Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody as returning officer
A gazette notification to this effect will be issued on Friday. Garima Jain, Joint Secretary, and Vijay Kumar, Director, are the assistant ROs, the poll panel said.
The post of Vice-President was vacated on Monday by Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned mid-term citing health grounds. Sources aware of the development, however, said his decision to accept an Opposition-moved motion for the impeachment of Justice Yashwant Varma in Rajya Sabha on Monday had rubbed the government the wrong way.
In a statement on Friday, the poll panel said: 'As per convention, either Secretary General, Lok Sabha or Secretary General, Rajya Sabha is appointed as Returning Officer by rotation. During the last Vice-Presidential election, the Secretary General of the Lok Sabha was appointed as the Returning Officer. Therefore, the Election Commission, in consultation with the Ministry of Law and Justice and with the consent of the Hon'ble Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, has appointed the Secretary General, Rajya Sabha as Returning Officer for ensuing Vice-Presidential Election, 2025.'
The EC said it appointed the officers under Section 3 of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952. As per the Act, the EC has a 30 to 32-day timeline for conducting the poll after notifying the schedule, including 14 days for filing nominations, one day for scrutiny, and two days for withdrawal of candidature. If the election is contested, the polling has to be held at least 15 days after the date of withdrawal of candidature.
The electoral college for the election of V-P comprises MPs from Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, including nominated members. The polling takes place in Parliament via a secret ballot. All MPs' votes carry equal value.
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