Election Commission Appoints Returning Officer for Vice‑Presidential Election 2025.
🔹 Key Appointments Confirmed
- The Election Commission of India (ECI), under its constitutional mandate (Article 324), has appointed P. C. Mody, the Secretary-General of the Rajya Sabha, as the Returning Officer (RO) for the ensuing Vice‑Presidential Election 2025 .
- This decision follows the rotational tradition—in the last such election, the Lok Sabha Secretary‑General served as Returning Officer, so this time the Rajya Sabha Secretary‑General is appointed .
🔹 Assistant Returning Officers
- Two assistants have been appointed from the Rajya Sabha Secretariat:
- Garima Jain, Joint Secretary
- Vijay Kumar, Director.
📜 Legal Framework & Election Procedure
- Under Section 3 of the Presidential and Vice‑Presidential Elections Act, 1952, the ECI—after consulting the Central Government—designates a Returning Officer whose office must be in New Delhi. It may also appoint one or more Assistant Returning Officers as needed .
- The entire process is governed by the provisions of the Presidential and Vice‑Presidential Elections Rules, 1974 .
📌 Background & Timeline Context
- The vacancy arose on July 21, 2025, following the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, who cited health reasons in his resignation letter. He stepped down under Article 67(a) of the Constitution, triggering the need for a new election under Article 68(2), which stipulates that an election must be held “as soon as possible” after the office becomes vacant.
- The Union Home Ministry formalized the resignation via a Gazette notification on July 22, 2025 .
⏱️ Election Schedule & Process
Depending on precedent:
- Nominations: 14 days
- Scrutiny: 1 day
- Withdrawal: 2 days
- Polling: If contested, held at least 15 days after withdrawal deadline
Altogether, the full process typically spans 30–32 days from notification.
🧩 Electoral College & Voting Process
- The Electoral College includes all elected and nominated MPs in both Lok Sabha (543 elected + 2 nominated) and Rajya Sabha (233 elected + 12 nominated), totalling to about 790 electors.
- Voting is conducted via proportional representation with a single transferable vote through a secret ballot, ensuring all MPs’ votes carry equal value.
🔍 Additional Context & Implications
- The ECI has started preparations, including constituting the Electoral College and vetting the parliamentary rolls, working closely with both House secretariats
- Due to the procedural intricacies and the ongoing Monsoon session, analysts anticipate the Vice‑Presidential election will conclude only after Parliament’s current session ends.
- In the meantime, Harivansh Narayan Singh, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, will serve as Acting Chairperson until a new Vice‑President is elected .
🧾 Summary Table
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Returning Officer | P. C. Mody, Secretary‑General, Rajya Sabha |
| Assistant Officers | Garima Jain (Joint Secretary); Vijay Kumar (Director) |
| Legal Basis | Article 324; Act of 1952; Rules of 1974 |
| Election Sequence | Notification → Nomination → Scrutiny → Withdrawal → Polling |
| Electoral College | ~790 MPs (elected + nominated from both Houses) |
| Voting Method | Single transferable vote; secret ballot |
| Timing Outlook | Likely post‑Monsoon session due to procedural timeline. |
