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The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday announced the appointment of Rajya Sabha Secretary General PC Mody as the Returning Officer (RO) for the election to the office of Vice President.
"The Election Commission, in consultation with the Ministry of Law and Justice and with the consent of the Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha, has appointed the Secretary General, Rajya Sabha, as Returning Officer for the ensuing Vice Presidential Election, 2025," the EC said in a media statement. "The Election Commission of India has also appointed Garima Jain, Joint Secretary, Rajya Sabha Secretariat and Vijay Kumar, Director, Rajya Sabha Secretariat, as Assistant Returning Officers during the course of the Vice-Presidential Election, 2025," it read. The constitutional body, as mandated by Article 324, is responsible for conducting elections to the office of the Vice President. The election to the office of the Vice President of India is governed by the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952, and the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Rules, 1974. This comes days after Jagdeep Dhankhar resigned from his post as the Vice President of India on July 21, the first day of the monsoon session of Parliament, citing health reasons. Dhankar's resignation has sparked political controversy, with the opposition leaders fueling speculations about his sudden resignation. On Tuesday, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala slammed the BJP following the resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar, stating that the party has a track record of "weakening both constitutional offices and processes". He noted that Dhankhar's "sudden and mysterious" resignation has left many questions unanswered and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring the matter to the attention of Parliament. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also raised doubts over Dhankar's resignation and alleged "behind-the-scenes" politics. Addressing reporters in the national capital, Raut stated that Dhankar's resignation is not a typical event. "Big politics is going on behind the scenes, and it will be revealed soon. The resignation of the Vice President is not an ordinary event," he said. Dhankhar resigned from his post as VP on Monday "to prioritise health care and abide by medical advice." As this happened, BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari on Tuesday announced that President Droupadi Murmu has accepted Jagdeep Dhankhar's resignation as Vice President of India. Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh was seen chairing the proceedings after Dhankhar's resignation. (ANI)
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