NEW DELHI: After appointing the Returning Officer (RO) and Assistant Returning Officers (AROs), the Election Commission of India is now planning to issue the notification announcing the schedule for the Vice-Presidential poll in the next couple of days, sources said, while hinting that the voting for the same could take place on the last day of the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament.Sources said that, as per constitutional provisions, a minimum gap of 17 days is required between the date of notification and the day on which voting takes place, with 14 days allotted for candidates to file nominations, one day for scrutiny, and two days for withdrawal of candidature.They said that since the ongoing session is scheduled to end on August 21, “we still have 24 days to complete the entire process, as the result is announced on the day voting takes place”.The ruling NDA is yet to announce its candidate for the post, while the united opposition INDIA bloc has hinted that it will possibly go for a common candidate.However, given the numbers stacked in the Electoral College, the advantage appears to be tilted in favour of the ruling alliance. The current combined strength of the two Houses stands at 786, factoring in six vacancies, one in the Lok Sabha (Basirhat, West Bengal) and five in the Rajya Sabha, including four from Jammu and Kashmir and one from Punjab, where AAP MP Sanjeev Arora stepped down after winning a state assembly by-poll last month.Assuming there is a 100 percent turnout, a candidate will require 394 votes to win. The BJP-led NDA is allegedly well positioned, as it commands the support of 293 MPs in the 542-member Lok Sabha and 129 MPs in the Rajya Sabha, which currently has an effective strength of 240.The nominated members are counted in support of the NDA candidate. This gives the ruling alliance a projected total of 422 votes, well above the required majority.As part of its preparations for conducting the Vice-Presidential elections, the poll panel has already appointed the RO and AROs. The Commission, in an earlier statement, said, “…in consultation with the Ministry of Law and Justice and with the consent of the Hon’ble Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, has appointed the Secretary General, Rajya Sabha PC Mody as Returning Officer… and Garima Jain, Joint Secretary, Rajya Sabha Secretariat and Shri Vijay Kumar, Director, Rajya Sabha Secretariat as Assistant Returning Officers…”
Source link
