India will elect its 15th Vice President today, September 9, in a contest drawing attention across the political spectrum. The election comes just weeks after former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned citing health reasons, creating a rare mid-term vacancy in the nation’s second-highest constitutional office.
The battle is between NDA nominee C.P. Radhakrishnan, a senior BJP leader and current Governor of Maharashtra, and Justice (Retd.) B. Sudershan Reddy, a retired Supreme Court judge backed by the opposition INDIA bloc. Voting began this morning at 10 AM in the new Parliament building, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi casting the first ballot. Polling will continue until 5 PM, followed by counting of votes at 6 PM.
Both contenders hail from southern India — Radhakrishnan from Tamil Nadu and Reddy from Telangana. BJP leaders regard 67-year-old Radhakrishnan as a soft-spoken, non-controversial figure. He twice represented Coimbatore in the Lok Sabha (1998 and 1999) and later served as the BJP’s Tamil Nadu chief. The NDA is highlighting his clean record and administrative experience as key assets for the role of Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman.
Justice Reddy, 79, delivered several landmark rulings during his Supreme Court tenure, including the 2011 judgment declaring Salwa Judum unconstitutional. Before voting, he urged MPs to follow their conscience instead of party lines, keeping the Rajya Sabha a true democracy temple.”
The electoral college consists of 781 Members of Parliament (after accounting for vacancies), with 391 votes required for a majority. With 425 MPs, the NDA holds a comfortable lead, suggesting a likely victory for Radhakrishnan. However, the opposition has projected the election as an ideological battle, aiming to consolidate its bloc ahead of the 2026 general elections.
All eyes are now on the counting process, as India prepares to welcome its next Vice President later this evening.