News Analysis India

Tag: Jagdeep Dhankhar

  • Ahead Of President’s Budget Session Address, Rajya Sabha Chairman Revokes Suspension Of 11 Opposition MPs |

    Hours after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that the suspension of 11 opposition MPs in Rajya Sabha would be revoked on the government’s request, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar revoked their suspension allowing them to attend the Budget session. The Rajya Sabha Privileges Committee held 11 suspended opposition MPs guilty of breach of privilege and contempt of the Council of States.

    The committee submitted the report to Dhankhar, acknowledging the circumstances that the suspended members would be unable to participate in the special address by President Droupadi Murmu to both Houses of Parliament on Wednesday, marking the first address in the new Parliament building. In its report, submitted to the Rajya Sabha chairman a day before the session commences on Wednesday, the committee also proposed considering the duration of suspension already served by the members as an adequate penalty for the violation.

    The MPs are Jebi Mather Hisham, L Hanumanthaiah, Neeraj Dangi, Rajmani Patel, Kumar Ketkar, G C Chandrashekhar, Binoy Viswam, Santhosh Kumar P, M Mohamed Abdulla, John Brittas and A A Rahim. The committee usually submits its recommendations to the House. The sources said the chairman invoked the authority vested in him under the rules of procedure to revoke their suspension enabling the members to attend the special address by the president.

    The matter of 11 MPs suspended by the chairman during the Winter session of Parliament was referred to the Privileges Committee.

  • Parliament adjourned till noon amid opposition protests over Manipur

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha proceedings on Tuesday were adjourned till noon amid protest by opposition parties demanding discussion on the Manipur issue in the House.

    Soon after the listed papers were tabled in the House, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed anguish over repeated disruptions of the proceedings in the House on the “same issue”.

    He said a short-duration discussion on the issue was scheduled the previous day, but it could not take place.

    Dhankhar also did not approve 60 notices for taking up discussion on the Manipur issue under Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha which allows for suspension of the day’s business to debate on any issue suggested by a member.

    Meanwhile, opposition members started raising slogans. Around 11.25 am, the Chair adjourn House proceedings till noon.

    Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Tuesday following protests by opposition members on the Manipur issue.

    As soon as the House met for the day, opposition members started shouting slogans and held up placards Some of them were in the Well of the House while some stood near the Speaker’s Chair, holding placards, as they sought to raise the Manipur issue.

    Speaker Om Birla told the protesting members that they will be given time to raise the issues.

    BSP member Kunwar Danish Ali, standing in his seat, raised slogans on the violence in Nuh in Haryana.

    “Sir, Nuh jal raha hai (Nuh is burning),” he said, addressing the Speaker.

    Three questions and related supplementary were taken up during Question Hour, which went on for around 15 minutes.

    However, as the protests continued, the proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm.

    Protests on the Manipur violence have been disrupting Lok Sabha proceedings since the start of the Monsoon session on July 20.

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha proceedings on Tuesday were adjourned till noon amid protest by opposition parties demanding discussion on the Manipur issue in the House.

    Soon after the listed papers were tabled in the House, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar expressed anguish over repeated disruptions of the proceedings in the House on the “same issue”.

    He said a short-duration discussion on the issue was scheduled the previous day, but it could not take place.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Dhankhar also did not approve 60 notices for taking up discussion on the Manipur issue under Rule 267 of the Rajya Sabha which allows for suspension of the day’s business to debate on any issue suggested by a member.

    Meanwhile, opposition members started raising slogans. Around 11.25 am, the Chair adjourn House proceedings till noon.

    Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm on Tuesday following protests by opposition members on the Manipur issue.

    As soon as the House met for the day, opposition members started shouting slogans and held up placards Some of them were in the Well of the House while some stood near the Speaker’s Chair, holding placards, as they sought to raise the Manipur issue.

    Speaker Om Birla told the protesting members that they will be given time to raise the issues.

    BSP member Kunwar Danish Ali, standing in his seat, raised slogans on the violence in Nuh in Haryana.

    “Sir, Nuh jal raha hai (Nuh is burning),” he said, addressing the Speaker.

    Three questions and related supplementary were taken up during Question Hour, which went on for around 15 minutes.

    However, as the protests continued, the proceedings were adjourned till 2 pm.

    Protests on the Manipur violence have been disrupting Lok Sabha proceedings since the start of the Monsoon session on July 20.

  • Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day after spat between chair, Derek O’Brien

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday abruptly adjourned proceedings of the House for the day after a spat with TMC leader Derek O’Brien.

    Dhankhar adjourned proceedings after he was interrupted by the TMC leader over the issue of non-admission of notices given by opposition members under rule 267 to discuss the Manipur situation.

    As many as 47 MPs from parties ranging from Congress to Left, to TMC and DMK had given notices under the rule that calls for suspension of the listed business and taking up the issue being raised.

    Dhankhar said he has already agreed to a short-duration discussion on the issue and asked members to discuss the issue under that rule.

    He thereafter went on to say how the behaviour of MPs in the Upper House is viewed by the outside world.

    At this point, Derek O’Brien stood up to press for the motion that opposition parties have been seeking to move since the start of the Monsoon Session of Parliament last week.

    He thumped the desk to make his point, an act which Dhankhar termed as “theatrics.”

    “Show respect to the chair,” he said. “Don’t thump the desk.”

    As Derek O’Brien continued to make his point, the chairman adjourned the proceedings for the day.

    The House will now meet on Monday, July 31.

    NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar on Friday abruptly adjourned proceedings of the House for the day after a spat with TMC leader Derek O’Brien.

    Dhankhar adjourned proceedings after he was interrupted by the TMC leader over the issue of non-admission of notices given by opposition members under rule 267 to discuss the Manipur situation.

    As many as 47 MPs from parties ranging from Congress to Left, to TMC and DMK had given notices under the rule that calls for suspension of the listed business and taking up the issue being raised.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    Dhankhar said he has already agreed to a short-duration discussion on the issue and asked members to discuss the issue under that rule.

    He thereafter went on to say how the behaviour of MPs in the Upper House is viewed by the outside world.

    At this point, Derek O’Brien stood up to press for the motion that opposition parties have been seeking to move since the start of the Monsoon Session of Parliament last week.

    He thumped the desk to make his point, an act which Dhankhar termed as “theatrics.”

    “Show respect to the chair,” he said. “Don’t thump the desk.”

    As Derek O’Brien continued to make his point, the chairman adjourned the proceedings for the day.

    The House will now meet on Monday, July 31.

  • Politics over ‘deletion’ heats up in Parliament

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: Taking exception to the removal of six comments he made in the speech on the motion of Thanks on President’s address, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar saying that he hasn’t made any personal charges and any rule of the House cannot subvert the constitutional guarantee of the freedom of speech.

    Demanding a JPC probe on the Hindenburg report on Adani Group, Kharge had attacked the Modi government on Wednesday, questioning its silence on the issue.On Thursday, the Upper House witnessed noisy scenes as Congress MPs objected to the deletion of Kharge’s remarks, pointing out that similar remarks made by former prime ministers Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh in the House continue to be part of the proceedings. Kharge said that he did not use any unparliamentary word or language or made any allegation on anyone.

    “Yet you picked out some words. I won’t say you misinterpreted them but if you had any doubt, you could have asked for clarification. But you deleted my words in six places” he told the House. “Former PM Vajpayee used a word against former PM P V Narasimha Rao and that word is still in the records,” said Kharge.In his letter to Dhankhar, Kharge pointed out that directions were made by the Chair on February 8 to authenticate six observations made by him during the speech.

    “The institution of Parliament of India is a platform to fix the accountability of the Executive. This necessitates that the policies and the decisions of the government are discussed, dissected and debated on the floor of the House. Any criticism of policies and decisions of the government and their fallouts cannot be construed as the allegation against any individual Member of the House,” he saidKharge further stated in his letter that Article 105 (1) of the Constitution of India guarantees freedom of speech for the Members of Parliament.

    “In consonance with this constitutional guarantee and rules of the House, a member is only required to authenticate any document that he lays on the table of the House. There is no convention or provision of authentication of points made in a speech on the floor of the House,” he said.On Wednesday, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha had removed 18 comments made by Rahul Gandhi during his speech on the motion of Thanks on President’s address. He had raised questions on Adani Group’s links with the government.  

    Kharge, in the letter said that it would be an inversion of the system of governance, if the opposition members are expected to gather evidence and then raise the matter on the floor of the House. “The arrangement, as I understand, is that the opposition member, or any private member, raises issues on the basis of inputs from media, reports in public domain, or even confidential personal information,” he said.“The member, after due-diligence, draws the attention of the House to such issues and it is incumbent upon the government to investigate the matter and take appropriate action in consonance with the law of the land,” Kharge said.

    Restore Rahul’s speech: Adhir writes to Speaker

    Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday wrote to Speaker Om Birla urging him to revisit his decision to delete parts of Rahul Gandhi’s speech made during the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address. The leader asked the Speaker to restore Rahul s speech. “The freedom of speech that is available to MPs under Article 105(1) is wider in amplitude than the Right of Freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a),” he wrote.

    NEW DELHI: Taking exception to the removal of six comments he made in the speech on the motion of Thanks on President’s address, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar saying that he hasn’t made any personal charges and any rule of the House cannot subvert the constitutional guarantee of the freedom of speech.

    Demanding a JPC probe on the Hindenburg report on Adani Group, Kharge had attacked the Modi government on Wednesday, questioning its silence on the issue.On Thursday, the Upper House witnessed noisy scenes as Congress MPs objected to the deletion of Kharge’s remarks, pointing out that similar remarks made by former prime ministers Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh in the House continue to be part of the proceedings. Kharge said that he did not use any unparliamentary word or language or made any allegation on anyone.

    “Yet you picked out some words. I won’t say you misinterpreted them but if you had any doubt, you could have asked for clarification. But you deleted my words in six places” he told the House. “Former PM Vajpayee used a word against former PM P V Narasimha Rao and that word is still in the records,” said Kharge.In his letter to Dhankhar, Kharge pointed out that directions were made by the Chair on February 8 to authenticate six observations made by him during the speech.

    “The institution of Parliament of India is a platform to fix the accountability of the Executive. This necessitates that the policies and the decisions of the government are discussed, dissected and debated on the floor of the House. Any criticism of policies and decisions of the government and their fallouts cannot be construed as the allegation against any individual Member of the House,” he saidKharge further stated in his letter that Article 105 (1) of the Constitution of India guarantees freedom of speech for the Members of Parliament.

    “In consonance with this constitutional guarantee and rules of the House, a member is only required to authenticate any document that he lays on the table of the House. There is no convention or provision of authentication of points made in a speech on the floor of the House,” he said.On Wednesday, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha had removed 18 comments made by Rahul Gandhi during his speech on the motion of Thanks on President’s address. He had raised questions on Adani Group’s links with the government.  

    Kharge, in the letter said that it would be an inversion of the system of governance, if the opposition members are expected to gather evidence and then raise the matter on the floor of the House. “The arrangement, as I understand, is that the opposition member, or any private member, raises issues on the basis of inputs from media, reports in public domain, or even confidential personal information,” he said.
    “The member, after due-diligence, draws the attention of the House to such issues and it is incumbent upon the government to investigate the matter and take appropriate action in consonance with the law of the land,” Kharge said.

    Restore Rahul’s speech: Adhir writes to Speaker

    Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday wrote to Speaker Om Birla urging him to revisit his decision to delete parts of Rahul Gandhi’s speech made during the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address. The leader asked the Speaker to restore Rahul s speech. “The freedom of speech that is available to MPs under Article 105(1) is wider in amplitude than the Right of Freedom of speech and expression guaranteed under Article 19(1)(a),” he wrote.

  • Startled there was no whisper in Parliament after SC struck down NJAC Act: Dhankhar

    The NJAC Act, which sought to overturn the collegium system of appointing Supreme Court and high court judges, was struck down by the top court which described it as unconstitutional.

  • Dhankhar expresses gratitude to Mamata for abstaining in VP election

    By ANI

    JAIPUR: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has expressed his gratitude to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her move to abstain from voting in the vice presidential election in August this year.

    The Vice President said that while he was the Governor of West Bengal, he did not utter a single word against Mamata’s dignity “irrespective of whatever she said”, adding that he did everything “in open and in writing”.

    Dhankhar was addressing the felicitation programme in the Rajasthan Assembly on Tuesday.

    “I told her (Mamata) that I am no more the Governor of your state. Keep your hand on your heart and think if I have anything which is against the Constitution. Have I ever uttered a single word against her dignity, irrespective of whatever she said? Whatever I did was in the open and in writing. Still, through this House, I thank her for her move for the first time,” he said.

    Notably, during his tenure as the Governor of West Bengal, Dhankhar and Mamata were believed to have clashed on various occasions.

    Dhankhar also recalled his interaction with former Chief Minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje on Mamata Banerjee, in which, he joked, had sought “help” from her in the form of a “magic spell”, while he was the Governor.

    “Vasundhara Raje started in the parliamentary area in 1989. I also got this opportunity. Since then my relations with her have been personal. I even sought help from her after becoming the Governor of West Bengal and my Chief Minister is Mamata Banerjee. Please tell me some magic spell,” he said.

    The friendly banter was also seen during the programme after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot asked in a lighter vein during his address “what magic did Dhankhar do on a tough lady like Mamata?” that she abstained from voting during the VP election.

    “Your relations were the topic of discussion in the country till the time you were there for three years. What magic did you do that when you became the vice presidential candidate, the same Mamata Banerjee abstained from voting? Please tell us the secret. What magic did you do on a tough lady like Mamata? I am the magician,” Gehlot said.

    He further asked if there was a “bigger magician” in India than him.

    Responding to it, the VP jokingly said, “I remember when the Rajasthan Assembly elections were underway, Rajendra Rathore was the candidate from Churu. I went to his rally. The magic of the magician is okay (pointing towards Gehlot), but even I did magic that he never lost an election till today.”

    “The Chief Minister (Ashok Gehlot) asked what was that magic that Mamata Banerjee took the decision (to abstain from voting in vice presidential elections). I am beyond politics. Why are the political decisions taken, how are they taken and on what basis are they were taken, Ashok Gehlot, Vasundhara Raje and others can throw light on this,” he added.

    Dhankhar, former West Bengal Governor, was elected as the Vice President in August. He defeated the opposition’s Margaret Alva to emerge as the winner.

    The BJP-led NDA candidate won the election comfortably with 528 votes against Alva’s 182. The Vice President is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

    Dhankhar secured 74.36 per cent of the votes. He has the highest winning margin in the last six vice presidential elections held since 1997.

    JAIPUR: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has expressed his gratitude to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for her move to abstain from voting in the vice presidential election in August this year.

    The Vice President said that while he was the Governor of West Bengal, he did not utter a single word against Mamata’s dignity “irrespective of whatever she said”, adding that he did everything “in open and in writing”.

    Dhankhar was addressing the felicitation programme in the Rajasthan Assembly on Tuesday.

    “I told her (Mamata) that I am no more the Governor of your state. Keep your hand on your heart and think if I have anything which is against the Constitution. Have I ever uttered a single word against her dignity, irrespective of whatever she said? Whatever I did was in the open and in writing. Still, through this House, I thank her for her move for the first time,” he said.

    Notably, during his tenure as the Governor of West Bengal, Dhankhar and Mamata were believed to have clashed on various occasions.

    Dhankhar also recalled his interaction with former Chief Minister of Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje on Mamata Banerjee, in which, he joked, had sought “help” from her in the form of a “magic spell”, while he was the Governor.

    “Vasundhara Raje started in the parliamentary area in 1989. I also got this opportunity. Since then my relations with her have been personal. I even sought help from her after becoming the Governor of West Bengal and my Chief Minister is Mamata Banerjee. Please tell me some magic spell,” he said.

    The friendly banter was also seen during the programme after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot asked in a lighter vein during his address “what magic did Dhankhar do on a tough lady like Mamata?” that she abstained from voting during the VP election.

    “Your relations were the topic of discussion in the country till the time you were there for three years. What magic did you do that when you became the vice presidential candidate, the same Mamata Banerjee abstained from voting? Please tell us the secret. What magic did you do on a tough lady like Mamata? I am the magician,” Gehlot said.

    He further asked if there was a “bigger magician” in India than him.

    Responding to it, the VP jokingly said, “I remember when the Rajasthan Assembly elections were underway, Rajendra Rathore was the candidate from Churu. I went to his rally. The magic of the magician is okay (pointing towards Gehlot), but even I did magic that he never lost an election till today.”

    “The Chief Minister (Ashok Gehlot) asked what was that magic that Mamata Banerjee took the decision (to abstain from voting in vice presidential elections). I am beyond politics. Why are the political decisions taken, how are they taken and on what basis are they were taken, Ashok Gehlot, Vasundhara Raje and others can throw light on this,” he added.

    Dhankhar, former West Bengal Governor, was elected as the Vice President in August. He defeated the opposition’s Margaret Alva to emerge as the winner.

    The BJP-led NDA candidate won the election comfortably with 528 votes against Alva’s 182. The Vice President is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

    Dhankhar secured 74.36 per cent of the votes. He has the highest winning margin in the last six vice presidential elections held since 1997.

  • Vice President-elect Jagdeep Dhankhar visits Raj Ghat ahead of swearing in 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Jagdeep Dhankhar, who will be sworn in as the 14th Vice President of India on Thursday afternoon, began his day by visiting Raj Ghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi.

    “Felt blessed, inspired and motivated to be ever in service of Bharat in serene sublimity of Raj Ghat while paying respects to Pujya Bapu,” Dhankhar tweeted.

    Dhankar’s oath ceremony will take place at 12.30 pm in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

    NEW DELHI: Jagdeep Dhankhar, who will be sworn in as the 14th Vice President of India on Thursday afternoon, began his day by visiting Raj Ghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi.

    “Felt blessed, inspired and motivated to be ever in service of Bharat in serene sublimity of Raj Ghat while paying respects to Pujya Bapu,” Dhankhar tweeted.

    Dhankar’s oath ceremony will take place at 12.30 pm in Rashtrapati Bhavan.

  • Jagdeep Dhankhar elected India’s 14th Vice President

    By Online Desk

    National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar has been elected India’s 14th Vice President on Saturday. He secured 528 votes. Opposition pick Margaret Alva who got 182 votes has lost.

    Dhankar reached Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi’s residence at 11 Akbar Road before the announcement of the results for the Vice Presidential Election.

    Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh, who was the presiding officer for the 16th Vice Presidential election, said that of the 780 MPs eligible to cast votes, 725 MPs cast their vote. Fifteen votes were found invalid and 710 votes were valid.

    Described as ‘Kisan-Putra (farmer’s son)’ by the BJP, Dhankhar had said that he had never thought that a person like him with a modest background” would get the opportunity to serve as the second highest Constitutional post.

    “I was born in a farmer’s family. I had to walk around 6km to my school,” said Dhankhar, who recently quit as West Bengal Governor.

    He was appointed as the Governor of West Bengal in 2019.

    Around 93 per cent polling was recorded in the vice presidential election on Saturday, with more than 50 MPs not exercising their franchise.

    Officials said of the total 780 MPs, as many as 725 MPs voted till 5 pm when the polling concluded.

    The Trinamool Congress, which has 39 MPs, including 23 in Lok Sabha, had already announced its decision to abstain from the election.

    However, two of its MPs — Sisir Kumar Adhikari and Dibyendu Adhikari — broke ranks and cast their ballots.

    The next Vice-President of the country will take the oath of office on August 11, a day after the term of the incumbent Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu ends.

    Janata Dal (United), YSRCP, BSP, AIADMK had announced support for Dhankhar. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) extended support to Alva.

    READ HERE | Jagdeep Dhankhar: From confrontations with Mamata to running for Vice-President’s post

    Polling to elect the next Vice President of India began at 10 am.

    The counting of votes began at 6 pm.

    The Vice President of India, which is the second-highest constitutional post in the country, is elected through an electoral college consisting of members of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

    All MPs of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, including nominated members, are entitled to vote in the vice presidential election.

    The two Houses of Parliament together have a sanctioned strength of 788 MPs, of which there are eight vacancies in the Upper House.

    The Vice President of India is also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

    (With agency inputs)

    National Democratic Alliance (NDA)’s candidate Jagdeep Dhankhar has been elected India’s 14th Vice President on Saturday. He secured 528 votes. Opposition pick Margaret Alva who got 182 votes has lost.

    Dhankar reached Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi’s residence at 11 Akbar Road before the announcement of the results for the Vice Presidential Election.

    Lok Sabha Secretary General Utpal Kumar Singh, who was the presiding officer for the 16th Vice Presidential election, said that of the 780 MPs eligible to cast votes, 725 MPs cast their vote. Fifteen votes were found invalid and 710 votes were valid.

    Described as ‘Kisan-Putra (farmer’s son)’ by the BJP, Dhankhar had said that he had never thought that a person like him with a modest background” would get the opportunity to serve as the second highest Constitutional post.

    “I was born in a farmer’s family. I had to walk around 6km to my school,” said Dhankhar, who recently quit as West Bengal Governor.

    He was appointed as the Governor of West Bengal in 2019.

    Around 93 per cent polling was recorded in the vice presidential election on Saturday, with more than 50 MPs not exercising their franchise.

    Officials said of the total 780 MPs, as many as 725 MPs voted till 5 pm when the polling concluded.

    The Trinamool Congress, which has 39 MPs, including 23 in Lok Sabha, had already announced its decision to abstain from the election.

    However, two of its MPs — Sisir Kumar Adhikari and Dibyendu Adhikari — broke ranks and cast their ballots.

    The next Vice-President of the country will take the oath of office on August 11, a day after the term of the incumbent Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu ends.

    Janata Dal (United), YSRCP, BSP, AIADMK had announced support for Dhankhar. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) extended support to Alva.

    READ HERE | Jagdeep Dhankhar: From confrontations with Mamata to running for Vice-President’s post

    Polling to elect the next Vice President of India began at 10 am.

    The counting of votes began at 6 pm.

    The Vice President of India, which is the second-highest constitutional post in the country, is elected through an electoral college consisting of members of the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.

    All MPs of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, including nominated members, are entitled to vote in the vice presidential election.

    The two Houses of Parliament together have a sanctioned strength of 788 MPs, of which there are eight vacancies in the Upper House.

    The Vice President of India is also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha.

    (With agency inputs)

  • Margaret Alva vs Jagdeep Dhankhar: Polling to elect next Vice-President begins; PM Modi casts vote

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Polling to elect the next Vice President of India began at 10 am, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi being among the first ones to cast vote.

    The polling will continue till 5 pm, following which the counting of ballots will take place.

    National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee and former West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar (71) is pitted against joint Opposition candidate Margaret Alva (80).

    With the ruling BJP having an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha and 91 members in the Rajya Sabha, Dhankhar has a clear edge over his rival.

    He is likely to succeed incumbent M Venkaiah Naidu, whose tenure ends on August 10.

    All MPs of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, including nominated members, are entitled to vote in the vice presidential election.

    The two Houses of Parliament together have a sanctioned strength of 788 MPs, of which there are eight vacancies in the Upper House.

    Hence, 780 MPs are eligible to cast their ballot in this election.

    NEW DELHI: Polling to elect the next Vice President of India began at 10 am, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi being among the first ones to cast vote.

    The polling will continue till 5 pm, following which the counting of ballots will take place.

    National Democratic Alliance (NDA) nominee and former West Bengal governor Jagdeep Dhankhar (71) is pitted against joint Opposition candidate Margaret Alva (80).

    With the ruling BJP having an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha and 91 members in the Rajya Sabha, Dhankhar has a clear edge over his rival.

    He is likely to succeed incumbent M Venkaiah Naidu, whose tenure ends on August 10.

    All MPs of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, including nominated members, are entitled to vote in the vice presidential election.

    The two Houses of Parliament together have a sanctioned strength of 788 MPs, of which there are eight vacancies in the Upper House.

    Hence, 780 MPs are eligible to cast their ballot in this election.

  • Margaret Alva vs Jagdeep Dhankhar: Around 93 per cent of MPs vote in vice presidential poll; over 50 MPs skip

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Around 93 per cent polling was recorded in the vice presidential election on Saturday, with more than 50 MPs not exercising their franchise.

    Officials said of the total 780 MPs, as many as 725 MPs voted till 5 pm when the polling concluded.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his predecessor Manmohan Singh cast their ballots early in the day, while opposition leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi voted a little after noon, the officials said.

    The Trinamool Congress, which has 39 MPs, including 23 in Lok Sabha, has already announced its decision to abstain from the election.

    However, two of its MPs — Sisir Kumar Adhikari and Dibyendu Adhikari — broke ranks and cast their ballots.

    Polling to elect the next Vice President of India began at 10 am, with Modi being among the first ones to vote.

    Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in a wheelchair and needed support to stand up and vote.

    CPM MP John Brittas was among those who helped the veteran leader in exercising his franchise.

    The two-term former prime minister greeted those present with folded hands.

    Margaret Alva at the Vice Presidential election venue. (Photo | EPS)

    Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president J P Nadda, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Commerce Minister and Leader of House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal were among the leaders who turned up early at the Parliament House.

    Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi, who has contracted COVID-19, voted wearing a PPE kit.

    “Satisfied that I could perform my duties as a third term parliamentarian in the #VP elections, even if in extraterrestrial attire!” he tweeted.

    While two BJP MPs — Sunny Deol and Sanjay Dhotre — did not vote, among the prominent opposition MPs who were absent during voting included Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shafiqur Rahman Barq (both Samajwadi Party).

    The counting of votes will begin at 6 pm.

    With the ruling BJP having an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha and 91 members in the Rajya Sabha, Dhankhar has a clear edge over his rival.

    He is likely to succeed incumbent M Venkaiah Naidu, whose tenure ends on August 10.

    All MPs of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, including nominated members, are entitled to vote in the vice presidential election.

    The two Houses of Parliament together have a sanctioned strength of 788 MPs, of which there are eight vacancies in the Upper House.

    NEW DELHI: Around 93 per cent polling was recorded in the vice presidential election on Saturday, with more than 50 MPs not exercising their franchise.

    Officials said of the total 780 MPs, as many as 725 MPs voted till 5 pm when the polling concluded.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his predecessor Manmohan Singh cast their ballots early in the day, while opposition leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi voted a little after noon, the officials said.

    The Trinamool Congress, which has 39 MPs, including 23 in Lok Sabha, has already announced its decision to abstain from the election.

    However, two of its MPs — Sisir Kumar Adhikari and Dibyendu Adhikari — broke ranks and cast their ballots.

    Polling to elect the next Vice President of India began at 10 am, with Modi being among the first ones to vote.

    Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in a wheelchair and needed support to stand up and vote.

    CPM MP John Brittas was among those who helped the veteran leader in exercising his franchise.

    The two-term former prime minister greeted those present with folded hands.

    Margaret Alva at the Vice Presidential election venue. (Photo | EPS)

    Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president J P Nadda, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, and Commerce Minister and Leader of House in Rajya Sabha Piyush Goyal were among the leaders who turned up early at the Parliament House.

    Congress MP Abhishek Singhvi, who has contracted COVID-19, voted wearing a PPE kit.

    “Satisfied that I could perform my duties as a third term parliamentarian in the #VP elections, even if in extraterrestrial attire!” he tweeted.

    While two BJP MPs — Sunny Deol and Sanjay Dhotre — did not vote, among the prominent opposition MPs who were absent during voting included Mulayam Singh Yadav and Shafiqur Rahman Barq (both Samajwadi Party).

    The counting of votes will begin at 6 pm.

    With the ruling BJP having an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha and 91 members in the Rajya Sabha, Dhankhar has a clear edge over his rival.

    He is likely to succeed incumbent M Venkaiah Naidu, whose tenure ends on August 10.

    All MPs of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, including nominated members, are entitled to vote in the vice presidential election.

    The two Houses of Parliament together have a sanctioned strength of 788 MPs, of which there are eight vacancies in the Upper House.