M A I N   N E W S

Vice-President’s election on Aug 12
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, July 2
The election for the next Vice-President of the country will be held on August 12 with the process for the election being set into motion on July 10 with the issuance of a notification.

This was announced here today by Chief Election Commissioner J.M. Lyngdoh, who said a total of 790 electors, both from the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha would be empowered to cast their votes to elect the next Vice-President.

According to the schedule announced here, the last date for the filing of nominations will be July 24 while the last date for withdrawal of candidature will be July 27. Mr Lyngdoh said the scrutiny of the nomination papers will be held on July 25. The date for withdrawal of candidature is July 27.

Polling, if necessary, will be held on August 12 between 10 am and 5 pm. Counting will be held on the same day at 6 pm, he said.

Addressing news persons here the Chief Election Commissioner said the five-year term of Vice-President Krishan Kant expired on August 20 and the vacancy had to be filled before that.

The Election Commission in consultation with the Central Government had appointed Lok Sabha General Secretary G.C. Malhotra as the returning officer. Two assistant returning officers will also be appointed from the Lok Sabha secretariat.

Mr Lyngdoh said the nomination paper of the candidates must be delivered to the returning officer here in the place to be specified by him through a public notice either by the candidate or by any of his proposers or seconders on the day between 11 am and 3 pm.

The nomination paper of the candidate had to be subscribed by at least 20 electors as proposers and at least 20 electors as seconders. However, an elector could subscribe to only one nomination paper of a candidate as either a proposer or a seconder. The security deposit for the election was Rs 15,000.

Incidentally, there was still one vacancy in the Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra, the process for filling which would begin from July 8 with the filing of the nominations.

Mr Lyngdoh said this would be the first time that the Election Commission’s decision on the filing of an affidavit by a candidate, according to the latest Supreme Court ruling, would come into effect.