ECI Appoints Rajya Sabha Secretary-General as Returning Officer for Vice-President Election
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 25th July: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday appointed the Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha as the Returning Officer for the upcoming Vice-Presidential election. The move follows the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar four days ago, attributed to medical reasons.
Joining him as Assistant Returning Officers are Garima Jain, Joint Secretary, and Vijay Kumar, Director, both serving under the Rajya Sabha Secretariat. These appointments, made in consultation with the Ministry of Law and Justice and approved by the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, will be formalized through a separate gazette notification.
Constitutional Framework and Established Convention
Under Article 324 of the Constitution and the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952, along with the 1974 rules, the ECI oversees the Vice-President’s election. Section 3 of the Act mandates that the returning officer reside in New Delhi. By tradition, the role alternates between the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha and the Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha. In the last election, the Lok Sabha Secretary-General had served as the returning officer.
Electoral Process and Membership of the College
The Vice-Presidential election uses proportional representation through a single transferable vote via secret ballot. The Electoral College comprises nominated and elected MPs: 543 elected and 2 nominated from the Lok Sabha, and 233 elected and 12 nominated from the Rajya Sabha, totaling 790 electors. Unlike in Presidential elections, nominated members vote in the Vice-Presidential poll.
Candidates must submit their nominations in Form 3, supported by at least 20 proposers and 20 seconders, all MPs. No MP may support the same candidate more than once. A ₹15,000 security deposit, in cash or pre-deposited with the RBI, is required. Each candidate may file up to four nomination papers.
After filing, nominations are scrutinized on a fixed date to verify legality and signatures. Candidates may withdraw within two days post-scrutiny. Following the 2022 pattern, the timeline includes notification issuance, a week-long nomination window, scrutiny, withdrawal, and polling approximately 30–32 days later.
Current Status and ECI Preparations
The vacancy was officially declared in a Gazette Notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs on July 22. By Wednesday, the ECI confirmed that preparations were underway, including forming the Electoral College, selecting election officials, and compiling data on previous Vice-Presidential elections. The election schedule will be announced shortly.
Article 68 of the Constitution mandates that the election fill the vacancy “as soon as possible” after it arises. Until the new Vice President assumes office, the Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha acts as ex-officio Chairperson of the upper house
Political Numbers and Strategic Implications
The ruling NDA coalition commands around 293 seats in the Lok Sabha and 133 in the Rajya Sabha, providing control over 426 of the 790-member Electoral College—well above the required majority of 396 votes. This numerical advantage significantly favours the government’s preferred candidate.
By appointing the Rajya Sabha Secretary-General as returning officer and initiating procedural groundwork swiftly, the ECI is ensuring a timely and transparent Vice-Presidential election process. With the NDA holding a clear electoral majority and constitutional frameworks firmly in place, the process is expected to unfold smoothly in compliance with democratic norms.
