New Delhi: Ahead of the Vice-Presidential elections scheduled for September 9, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has appointed two senior officers of the Additional Secretary rank as Observers to ensure the poll process is conducted smoothly and transparently.
The officers appointed are:
- Sushil Kumar Lohani (1995 batch IAS, Odisha cadre), Additional Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj
- D Anandan (2000 batch IAS, Sikkim cadre), Additional Secretary, Ministry of Finance
Additionally, 2004 batch IAS officer of Assam-Meghalaya cadre, Mr Nitin Kumar Shivdas Khade, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Rural Development, has been placed on the reserve list for Observer duty.
Battle Lines Drawn: Radhakrishnan vs. Reddy
With the ruling NDA and the Opposition INDIA bloc formally announcing their nominees, the contest is set between:
- C P Radhakrishnan, current Governor of Maharashtra, nominated by the NDA
- Justice (Retd) B Sudershan Reddy, backed by the INDIA bloc
The last date for filing nominations was August 22 (Friday), while the deadline for withdrawal is August 25.
Radhakrishnan filed his nomination on Thursday, accompanied by senior NDA leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Justice Reddy submitted his nomination Friday, flanked by prominent INDIA bloc leaders including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi, along with other alliance partners. He called the nomination a “moment of honour” and vowed to uphold “impartiality, dignity, and steadfast commitment” if elected.
Vice-President’s Post Vacant Since July
The Vice-President’s position has been vacant since July 21, following the resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar on the first day of the Monsoon Session, citing health reasons. Dhankhar’s departure initiated the process of electing a new Vice-President, who also serves as the ex-officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
The Vice-Presidential election is conducted by members of both Houses of Parliament, with voting taking place via secret ballot under the proportional representation system.
