NewsGate Press Network

By Vineet Dikshit

Former West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar was elected as the country’s new and 14th Vice President after a day long voting by members of Parliament on Saturday the 6th of August 2022.

The NDA sponsored candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar secured 528 votes against Margaret Alva’s 182.

Alva was fielded by majority of the opposition parties led by the Congress party.

After 10 am to 5 pm polling schedule, the paper ballots were counted at 6 pm.

The results were announced by the secretary general of the Lok Sabha, Mr Utpal Kumar Singh, who was nominated by Election Commission of India as Returning Officer for the Vice Presidential election.

Soon after the announcement of results, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Jagdeep Dhankhar at 11 Akbar Road, the official residence of Parliamentary Affairs minister where the NDA candidate had moved temporarily after demitting office as governor of West Bengal.

As many as 725 MPs had cast their ballot which is 92.94 pc of the total votes.

There were 15 votes declared as invalid.

Jagdeep Dhankhar will take oath on August 14, a day after the present vice president M. Venkaiah Naidu’s term expires.

As per the Constitution of India, the Vice President is also the chairperson of the Rajya Sabha – the Council of States, the upper house of Parliament.

The ongoing Monsoon Session of  Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha is scheduled up to 12th of August.

As the new Chairman of Rajya Sabha, the Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar in all probability with preside over the upper house from the Winter Session.

If all goes well with the pace of construction of new building of the Parliament, the next session of both the Houses might be held in the brand new structure coinciding with Mr Dhankhar’s inauguration as the new Presiding Officer of the Rajya Sabha.

As reported in the Parliament earlier this week, nearly 70 per cent of the construction of new building of Parliament has been completed.