Vice-Presidential Election 2025: All you need to know

The Election Commission of India will conduct the Vice-Presidential election on September 9, 2025, at Parliament House. Unlike the presidential poll, the vice-president is elected solely by members of both Houses of Parliament, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, through a secret ballot. Each MP’s vote carries equal weight, and the process is governed by Article 66 of the Constitution.

The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has fielded C. P. Radhakrishnan, a senior BJP leader and the current Governor of Maharashtra. The Opposition’s INDIA bloc has nominated Justice (Retd.) B. Sudershan Reddy, a former Supreme Court judge. The contest will ultimately be decided by which way MPs vote.

Numerically, the NDA enjoys a significant advantage. With 423 MPs—293 in the Lok Sabha and 130 in the Rajya Sabha, the BJP-led coalition is comfortably placed. Backing from regional allies like the YSR Congress further bolsters its chances. While the INDIA bloc is backing a joint candidate, ensuring cohesion among its diverse partners remains a challenge.

The electoral college for this election comprises 782 MPs, including nominated members. The system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote (STV) ensures MPs rank candidates by preference. To win, a candidate must secure more than half of the valid votes. If no candidate crosses the threshold, the one with the fewest votes is eliminated and their votes are transferred to the next preference until a winner emerges.

The Vice-Presidential election is critical as the officeholder presides over the Rajya Sabha. With the NDA’s parliamentary strength, Radhakrishnan is widely seen as the frontrunner. Results will be announced the same day after voting concludes under the supervision of the Election Commission.