New Delhi [India], August 18 : Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday informed that the nomination of Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as the Vice Presidential candidate for the Bharatiya Janata Party-led (BJP) NDA will be filed on August 20 in the presence of all alliance floor leaders and MPs.
"Nomination of CP Radhakrishnan as NDA's Vice Presidential candidate will be filed on August 20, at 11 am. All NDA floor leaders and members of Parliament will issue signatures. This process includes proposers and seconders. After proposing the nomination, it is seconded. Under the leadership of PM Modi, all NDA leaders, including MPs, will participate in the nomination filing process," Rijiju told reporters here.
The Union Minister said that an introductory meeting with NDA floor leaders was held after Radhakrishnan arrived in the national capital.
"Today, NDA Vice-Presidential candidate CP Radhakrishnan arrived in Delhi, and we had an introductory meeting with NDA floor leaders. We feel very proud that a person like CP Radhakrishnan has been named as the NDA Vice Presidential candidate. All the leaders of the NDA alliance thanked PM Modi. We are hopeful that all the parties will extend support to him," Rijiju added.
Speaking on the constant demand of the Opposition to hold a discussion on allegations levelled against the Election Commission of India (ECI), Rijiju slammed Congress for "abusing" the constitutional bodies, including the EC and the Supreme Court. He said that Congress "abuses" the EC when they lose elections.
"The Election Commission of India is a Constitutional body, and who will answer on their behalf in the Parliament? Congress should keep its concerns in front of the Election Commission of India. If the Election Commission of India has asked for some documents from the Congress party, it is their responsibility to answer them," the Union Minister said.
"They abuse the Election Commission of India, the Supreme Court, and constitutional bodies. When they lose, they abuse the Election Commission of India. Congress will never come to power again as they abuse the public," he added.
Amid speculations of him being the opposition's Vice Presidential candidate, DMK MP Tiruchi Siva said that he was not the person to inform on the development.
"I have no idea. Only leaders will decide that. I am not the person to tell that. My leaders are discussing," he told ANI.
A Vice President's term is for five years. However, the post fell vacant after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on July 21, citing health reasons.
The VP is elected through an electoral college, which consists of MPs from both houses of Parliament.
The election of the Vice President is governed by the provisions under Articles 64 and 68 of the Constitution. The Election Commission notifies the VP polls by the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952.
As per Article 66(1) of the Constitution of India, the election of the Vice President shall be held by the system of proportional representation by means of single transferable vote, and the voting at such election shall be by secret ballot.