
NDA has clear edge in vice presidential poll after Jagdeep Dhankhar's sudden exit
Of the five vacancies in Rajya Sabha, four are from Jammu and Kashmir and one from Punjab, where sitting member Sanjeev Arora quit the seat after being elected to the state assembly in a bypoll last month.The effective strength of both the Houses together is 786 and the winning candidate will require to win 394 votes in the election for the vice president, considering all eligible voters exercise their franchise.In Lok Sabha, the BJP-led NDA enjoys the support of 293 members in the 542-member House. The ruling alliance has the support of 129 members in Rajya Sabha that has an effective strength of 240, assuming that the nominated members vote in support of the NDA nominee.The ruling alliance has the support of 422 members among 786 members, which is the combined strength of both the Houses.According to Clause 2 of Article 68 of the Constitution, an election to fill a vacancy in the office of the vice president occurring due to his death, resignation or removal, or otherwise, will be held "as soon as possible" after it goes vacant.The person elected to fill the vacancy will be entitled to hold office "for the full term of five years from the date on which he enters upon his office".Article 66 (1) of the Constitution provides that the election shall be held in accordance with the system of Proportional Representation by means of the single transferable vote and the voting at such an election shall be by secret ballot.In this system, the elector has to mark preferences against the names of the candidates.The vice president is the second-highest constitutional office in the country. He serves for a five-year term, but can continue to be in office, irrespective of the expiry of the term, until the successor assumes office.Dhankhar resigned as the vice president on Monday evening, citing medical reasons. He sent his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu and said he was stepping down with immediate effect.- EndsMust Watch
IN THIS STORY#Parliament#Lok Sabha

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Hindustan Times
25 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
'Laapataa VP': Kapil Sibal questions Jagdeep Dhankhar's whereabouts after shock resignation
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Saturday raised questions about the whereabouts of former VP Jagdeep Dhankhar, days after his surprise resignation from the post. Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal speaks to the media in New Delhi on Saturday.(ANI) In a press conference, Sibal said that he had heard of the movie "Laapataa Ladies" but never heard of a "laapataa (absent) vice president". He also urged Union home minister Amit Shah to make a statement about Dhankhar's whereabouts to assuage concerns about his health and well-being. Also Read | Vice presidential election: Are these NDA faces in race to succeed Dhankhar? 'After his resignation, we do not know anything about his whereabouts. I had previously heard about the 'Laapataa Ladies,' but this is the first time I have heard about the 'Laapataa' vice president... Now it seems that the opposition will have to protect him...' Sibal said, according to ANI. 'We just do not know where he is' Sibal also claimed that Dhankar is not in his official residence and that his personal secretary initially told him on the phone that he is resting. "On July 22, Jagdeep Dhankhar, our vice president, resigned, and it is August 9 today, and since that day, we just do not know where he is. He is not in his official residence. On the first day, I tried to contact him and his personal secretary picked up the phone and said he is resting," Sibal was quoted as saying by PTI. The independent MP added that several of his political colleagues have also been unable to reach him. He also urged the home ministry to give a statement on the former vice president's whereabouts. Also Read | Why did Jagdeep Dhankhar quit? Buzz links an Oppn-backed notice against judge "So, is he getting treatment done somewhere? People of his family have also not said anything. What is the issue? We had heard of such things only in other countries but India is democratic so such things should be in the public domain," he said. "I had very good personal relations with him (Dhankhar). He was a lawyer with me who argued many cases. I am concerned. It does not look nice that I go and file an FIR. There is no news from him, from his friends, family," the former Union minister added. Dhankar's surprise resignation In a surprise move, Dhankhar resigned as vice president on July 21, the first day of the Monsoon session of Parliament. In his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu, Dhankar said he is stepping down with immediate effect due to health concerns. Dhankhar, 74, assumed office in August 2022 and his tenure was till 2027. He was also the chairman of the Rajya Sabha. He had recently undergone angioplasty at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi.


Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
Satellite images, hundreds of coffins in Pakistan are testament to success of Op Sindoor: BJP's Dinesh Sharma
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Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
Resign from Lok Sabha if have no faith in EC: BJP to Rahul Gandhi
The BJP has demanded Rahul Gandhi's resignation from the Lok Sabha, citing a lack of faith in the Election Commission. BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia criticized Gandhi for not providing a written declaration regarding his "vote theft" claim. Bhatia further suggested Sonia and Priyanka Gandhi should also resign if they distrust the electoral process. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The BJP on Saturday said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi must resign on "moral grounds" from the membership of the Lok Sabha if he does not have faith in the Election Commission , and flayed him for not submitting a written declaration on his "vote theft" national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia also asked Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi and party MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to resign as members of the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha if they do not have any faith in the polls."You (Rahul Gandhi) make baseless allegations before the media and then refuse to give proof and a written declaration when the constitutional body asks for it," Bhatia said at a press conference at the BJP headquarters out excerpts of a past Supreme Court judgement, the BJP spokesperson said the apex court had observed that there was no doubt about the bona fides of the Election Commission and that it was a matter of record that the poll body had built a reputation as an impartial body over the years."Rahul Gandhi, if you don't trust the election commission and the observations made by the Supreme Court, do one thing: first, you resign from the Lok Sabha membership. Priyanka Gandhi, you also resign. Sonia Gandhi, you also resign at least on moral grounds because you are raising questions on the same Election Commission," Bhatia said."Then, you go to the Supreme Court, the high court and people," he also demanded that the chief ministers of Congress-ruled Karnataka, Telangana and Himachal Pradesh must also resign, for their top leaders had no faith in the EC."Whatever suits you, you accept. Whatever is inconvenient, you reject and cast aspersions on the Election Commission. This will not work," Bhatia on Friday asserted that he had taken the oath inside Parliament on the Constitution, as a response to the EC demanding from him an affidavit under oath over his "vote chori" the Vote Adhikar Rally in Bengaluru, he also said the Karnataka government should probe the inclusion of fake voters in the state during the 2024 Lok Sabha election."The EC asks me to file an affidavit and give information under oath. I have taken oath inside Parliament, in front of the Constitution, on the Constitution," he termed Gandhi's "vote theft" claim a lie: "'Rahul aka 'arajak tatva' (anarchic element) has now become Rahul aka 'vidhwansak' (destroyer). He wants to destroy the Constitution of India and Indian democracy."He also accused the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha of being "immature" and starting a war against constitutional institutions by threatening EC officials.